The Thai Pirate - Thai Blog and Travel Stories

Crazy gardening

Was blessed to have a Sunday at the house last week. It was decided that maybe this was a good time to participate in a spot of home gardening.

One of the guys, a really resourceful bloke called Phi Pod (pronounced Pea Pod, easy to remember that one) stood around, eyeing up a huge tree that is growing beside our little office.

Being the observant sort, I had never actually noticed how big the bloody tree was, well, there are lots of trees in Thailand after all. But amongst the Thais there was general worry that, being the rainy slash stormy season, probably not a good idea to have such a large, wildly growing tree towering over our little office (where we spend large portions of the day / night).

Before I could say 'where are the hedge trimmers' Phi Pod had his machete lodged down his pants and was scaling the tree. Jeez, if there was Olympic Gold for tree scaling, Phi Pod is in the running, he was up there so fast and climbed so high that when he got to the top, you could barely see him, only for his hacking away at the branches like some crazy monkey. He was up there for about half hour, and the Thai's below had to dodge out the way as huge branches fell after each hack.

The other guys got the better deal, standing around and watching, like me. Nobody else had the balls for the job....

Another funeral

One of the girls who works in the office, Phi Sor, poor girl, lost her dad two weeks ago, and then her mother last week, both within one week of each other.

We attended the final day of her mum's funeral. As to be expected there were dozens and dozens of monks, and around 200 people. The service was different to the ones I have experienced in the past in that, after the initial ceremony, the band really went for it, and the Wat became like a concert hall. The noise was pretty incredible.

Phi Sors parents were both elderly and ill I am told. She was back at work 3 days later.

PAD vs PPP

The People Alliance for Democracy, or PAD as they are more commonly known, were formed 3 years ago in response to Thaksin's appointment as PM. They have been a constant thorn in the side of Thaksin, and more recently the current government, AKA the People Power Party (or PPP, formed when Thaksin's 'Thai Ruk Thai' party was dissolved in 2007, and after he legged it......the first time).

The PAD, and many other Thai's, see the PPP as nothing more than a proxy to the old Thai Ruk Thai regime.

When I arrived in Thailand in July, a peaceful PAD demonstration in the Bangkok province of Udon Thani turned super violent after pro-government thugs hijacked the protest and beat the PAD with clubs and iron bars. A couple of PAD members were killed. The footage at the time clearly showed the Udon Thani police standing on the sidelines, watching as the attack unfolded, making no attempt to stop the violence. This inaction seemed to be endorsed by the current PM himself (Samak), who earlier that day urged PPP members to start "killing" their political opponents after many of their own people had been "killed".

The protests yesterday are a backlash of the Udon Thani violence, as well as all the other frustration that has surfaced over the last few weeks. Thaksin and his misses being allowed to jump bail and escape justice fan these flames, and the constant gossip in the media about Thaksin's next move is a reminder of this. Apparently, he will actually be leaving Britain to fly to Bermuda, where he can remain without any fear of extradition.

On top of this, there is the small matter of a modest 12 BILLION baht, held in frozen accounts of the Thaksin family, the unpaid tax spoils from the dodgy Shin Corp share transfer. The Siam Commercial Bank (SBC), who currently house the 12 bill, have recently been ordered by the Revenue Department of the PPP to transfer all the money over to them. PAD leaders are up in arms over this and state that this is in fact illegal, as the Asset Scrutiny Committee (ASC), whose order froze the cash in the first place, say that Thaksin's corruption investigation takes precedence over any government request. Both the PAD and ASC fear that the transfer of the dodgy billions over to government hands is the first step in Thaksin getting his grubby mitts back on the cash.

The Thai's I speak to are not in favour of the PAD, even though they agree that the accusations made by them are perfectly valid. They see the violence of the last few days as completely unnecessary, provocative and illegal. All the excitement is doing the Thai economy no favours either, with all the instability curbing demand and investment and slowing economic growth.

In the twist, its the current government who are the ones that seem to be coming out of all this the best, as they and the police are being commended for their soft line approach to the violence. Whether this can continue is another matter. 

To Wai or be Wai'ed, that is the question.....

The Wai - Probably the most recognizable gesture in Thailand. Two hands pressed together, raised to the forehead, forehead lowered slightly in a bowing motion and directed towards another person.

Us Farang love 'the Wai,' as it is always nice to participate in a different culture, it shows you as someone who is open-minded and relaxed, willing to appreciate and operate within another person's life style.

Like most Farang, when I first arrived in Thailand I used the Wai to devastating effect. If somebody Wai'ed me, I would Wai straight back, in doing so showing what a polite person I must be, and that, as a Farang, I was an easy going type, open-minded etc. I would Wai higher (hands to my forehead) and bow lower. I thought this would portray a general friendliness and show the 'he's a jolly good fellow' factor.

But it began to confuse me; why do some Thai's tend NOT to Wai? Equally, why do others Wai all over the place, like crazy? 

I dug around. Like a thousand other Farang, I was committing the top, most common Farang faus pas!

By returning the Wai of the 'Seven Eleven' check-out girl, the petrol station attendant, the beggar with no teeth etc, I was in fact confirming my status as similar, or LOWER, to theirs.

(Like it or not, best not to Wai back, chuck a few quid instead).

The Wai, as it turns out, is basic deference etiquette, a gesture played out within Thai social structure that says 'I am at your disposal'.

In ancient times, it would have been fitting for a lower person, when approaching an important person to show that they were in fact 'unarmed', hence the showing and pressing of the two hands to the head. The 'lowering' of the head is probably so the important person, if deemed necessary, is able to twat them, 'just for the hell of it' possibly.

By Wai'ing the world and his wife, I was in fact illustrating my lack of knowledge of Thai culture, and at the same time, suggesting that as a 'mighty, world-conquering Farang', I was indeed on the same level as many a lowly Thai, which, like it or not, is a definite 'no-no' if you want to get anywhere or be anybody in Thai society.

Take the monks, for instance. Mr Monk don't Wai. If the King showed up at the Lemon Tree temple, the monks would have no compulsion to bow and Wai, although, I'm sure they would be absolutely over the moon to greet the King. They don't have to Wai, because in Thai society, the respect for the monks is so great, Mr monk is free from having to show any kind of deference to anybody, indeed it would be highly inappropriate for them to do so.

So that begs the question, who DO you Wai?

This is where it can get tricky. You are supposed to Wai the people that are 'above' you. There is no need to Wai anybody who is 'below' you, or even those the same status as you, although, Wai'ing in itself can be a polite greeting and farewell display. The younger person will always Wai the older in the vast majority of scenarios, with a return Wai being at the discretion of the older person.

The politics behind the Wai can pose problems for many Farang, who maybe unwilling to show deference, or, who are reluctant to suggest that they do, actually, perceive themselves as more important than the average petrol station clerk....As Farang, we are brought up in societies that like everybody to be more or less thought of in equal standing, and so we are able to pretty much treat everybody the same, comfortably. This is not really the case in Thai society. In Thai society, if you are born a lowly smo, you always Wai when meeting someone you perceive to be above you, a 'top man,' to not do so is rude, and can have the effect of labelling the non-participating Thai as a 'bad egg'. Thai's that are born lowly smo's don't necessarily need to stay lowly smo's, they are able to better themselves and increase status via success in business, sport, charity or by becoming a monk, for example. It is much the same as the class system that existed, and to some degree still does exist, in Britain.

Thai's realise that, as a Farang, you are probably not yet up to speed with this part of Thai social etiquette, and being that you are perfectly polite and respectable in all other ways, will turn a blind eye as you 'Wai' beggars, petrol check-out girls and go-go dancers etc, but note, in doing so, you are showing them that you do not yet understand this part of their culture, and nobody wants to be perceived as uncultured, do they?

So, whether you like it or not, next time, don't Wai, and instead, 'be Wai'ed'.

The Thai's that are interested will see that you understand how important you are!

Thai Road Jokers - Part 2 - Overloaded vehicles

Look at this classic Thai road joker I spotted over the weekend.

I don't think he could have got much more on that.... The load(s) are all lashed together with rope and string, but, doesn't look exactly stable, does it?

He won't be going into any underground car parks with all that crab on the back of the wagon. Not sure on the old bill's view on this, you see a quite a few overloaded trucks, but this joker is attempting a new level, he's probably higher than a standard truck, and not far off the overhead bridge in the pic!

Again, this illustrates well the Thai's aversion to doing anything needlessly (ie making two trips (or three....four?) safely, instead, choosing to make ONE trip extremely dangerously!'

Classic road joker mentality!