Living In Thailand Blog
Saturday 15th March 2014
When the Oscar Pistorius trial finishes his fate will be decided by one woman - the judge presiding over the trial. South Africa doesn't have a jury system.
Because of my British upbringing I am generally in favour of the British system of twelve good men (or women) and true. Can one person always be relied on to be completely impartial, fair, and correct? Wouldn't the chances of being fairly tried be improved if twelve people were involved, rather than one?
On the other hand, if South Africa had a jury system would the skin colour of the accused and the jurors have more influence than impartiality and fairness? As emotional human beings we all have opinions, biases, values, beliefs and agendas.
While re-reading Lee Kuan Yew's memoir I came across his views on the same subject, which I found very interesting. One of my major interests living in Thailand is trying to understand cultural behaviour. A society's cultural behaviour is a result of the local value and belief systems. These differ enormously around the globe and explain why behaviour is so different from country to country.
While under British rule, Singapore followed the British models of law and justice using a jury system. Lee Kuan Yew was trained as a lawyer and one of his first cases was to defend four rioters charged with murder. They were all acquitted.
Presumably defence lawyers must sometimes have a problem with their consciences. They must know whether their clients are guilty or not, but even if they know they are guilty it is their job to defend them. LKY says that this case left him with grave doubts about the practical value of the jury system for Singapore.
After he became Prime Minister in 1959 he abolished it for all cases except murder, and it was only retained for murder in order to stay in line with Malayan law. He then abolished the jury system for murder as well.
What I found most interesting was his explanation why he did this.
"A Straits Times court reporter who had watched many jury trials gave evidence to the same select committee that superstitious beliefs and a general reluctance to take responsibility for severe punishment, especially the death sentence, made Asian jurors most reluctant to convict. They preferred acquittal or conviction on a lesser charge. The reporter said he could predict that whenever a pregnant woman was a member of the jury there would be no conviction on a murder charge, for otherwise her child would be born cursed. After the bill was passed and jury trial were abolished, there were fewer miscarriages of justice arising from the vagaries of jury sentiments."
Superstitious belief systems are incredibly powerful in Thailand. Thailand has no jury system, yet many high profile people who commit serious crimes appear to go unpunished.
I have been told by many farang expats that any court dispute between a Thai and a farang will be won by the Thai. Some time ago, courts were set up in Pattaya and Phuket just to deal with foreigners. I read recently that another such court has been set up in Bangkok. This may improve the situation.
Bangkok tourist court opens, 15 more to follow
I have something of a fascination with Singapore. Considering its location, it shouldn't be the way it is, and it wouldn't be the way it is if it wasn't for one man.
In a huge developing part of the world, where different countries are at very different stages of development, sits a tiny island that is more developed than most of the developed world.
Tourists don't often stay for very long and, almost without exception, they are highly impressed. For most visitors, their first impression is formed when they arrive at Changi Airport - one of the best airports in the world.
Lines of clean, efficient taxis wait outside and the journey into the city takes you past beautiful parks, ultra clean streets and buildings. Even the central resrvations on the highways are full of beautifully manicured grass, trees and plants.
There are parks and green spaces everywhere, some exceptional architecture (not the dirty, drab, grey buildings that you see in Thailand), and not an overhead cable to be seen anywhere (unlike Thailand). Most people speak English and everything runs efficiently, notably the excellent public transport system.
There is a huge variety of food on offer, the ability to buy almost anything, and for the average time that a tourist stays in Singapore there is more than enough to do. Other countries in the region aspiring to First World status use Singapore as a model.
Despite this, it is not a place where I would want to live. Why?
For starters, the island is tiny and I always have a feeling of island fever when I go there. Before I arrived to live in Thailand, and after I first came to Thailand, I spent quite a lot of time in Singapore staying for free with my brother. Unlike Thailand, there aren't cheap hotels everywhere and if you don't have a free place to stay hotel bills can be quite prohibitive.
On one trip I stayed for about five weeks. Singapore immigration is discriminatory and on one occasion my brother's Thai girlfriend (before they married) was given a one day stay. I always used to get 90 days. I was there long enough to get a real feel for the country, and not just there as a tourist.
Compared to Thailand I always felt alone in Singapore. I would walk and travel around all day and not speak to a solitary person. Sometimes, in desperation, I would go over to the Golden Mile Complex (Singapore's Little Thailand area) just to speak to people.
Expats in Singapore are very different to expats in Thailand. Money is the name of the game in Singapore and expats are on huge salaries. Most are OK, but some still act like 1980's 'Loadsamoney' characters. Anton Casey recently epitomised the very worst kind of brash, arrogant, obnoxious expat that live in Singapore.
Singapore is very safe, but you always feel that you are being watched. On MRT platforms there is a yellow line that passengers waiting for a train must not cross. If you put one foot over the line it results in a platform announcement telling passengers not to cross the line.
The standard of living is high, but so is the cost of living. Cheap food is available, but if you go to Jurong Bird Park and feel thirsty a small bottle of water will cost you 3SGD.
Money is everything in Singapore and Singaporean's talk about the 5 C's - Cash, Car, Credit card, Condominium and Country club membership. All of these items are very expensive in Singapore and their possession is used by some people to judge others.
Locals who aren't on huge expat salaries have to work as much as they can just to make ends meet. Many people haven't got the time or money to have children and the low birthrate in Singapore is causing a demographic trough.
Extremely high property prices mean that even wealthy people can only afford to live in high rise condos. Some of the units are very pleasant, but there is no priovate garden or outdoor space.
I enjoy trips to Singapore, although I haven't been for quite a while now, but it always feels good to get back to Thailand. And then after a while in Thailand with all the Third World behaviour I start to wish that it was more like Singapore. Strange.
A BBC reporter just wrote an article about Singapore after it was voted one of the least positive countries in the world.
Viewpoint: Does Singapore deserve its 'miserable' tag?
The photo at the top of this article reminded me of journeys on the MRT where everyone looked gloomy as hell, or they were deeply engrossed playing games or sending messages on their Smartphones.
Incidentally, many Singaporeans escape to the part of southern Thailand where I live just to have a break from Singapore. They seem to love it. Many visit frequently and some even buy condos. No matter how perfect somewhere may seem to be on the surface, the reality of living there is often very different.
It also makes me wonder what other countries in the region are aspiring to. Would people in general really be happy if their own country was turned into a Singapore replica?
My view is that the Buddhist Middle Path would be most appropriate. In the case of Thailand, some aspects of the country are fine but other aspects could definitely be improved by taking Singapore's lead.
Thursday 13th March 2014
It isn't just people that get killed on Thai roads.
Six people and an elephant killed in accidents
If you don't understand any Thai, everything you hear in Thailand just goes over your head. Once you learn a little and learn to tune in to the same frequency as Thais you start to hear the same phrases again and again.
Glup baan, gin kaaw, bpai tiaew, etc etc. There's another one that also crops up frequently - tum raay.
Tum means 'to make' or 'to do' and raay means 'bad', 'evil', 'malicious', 'vile', 'wicked'. My Thai-English dictionary translates the phrase 'tum raay' as 'to harm, injure, hurt, do violence to.'
You hear this a lot on Thai news as well as in real life. When my wife prevents me from asking a neighbour to turn his music down, the reason is because he will 'tum raay'. When the girl I was chasing some years ago was too scared to leave her abusive boyfriend it was because she feared he would 'tum raay'.
Many Thais are extremely vindictive. When they get involved in conflicts or disagreements they aren't satisfied until the other party is dead or seriously injured. There are also lots of guns in Thailand. A teenager has just murdered his father, mother and younger brother because his parents didn't buy him a car.
B500,000 bail set for teen killer
Another argument ended recently with a 24 year-old man being shot dead on the street in Bangkok. This kind of thing happens a lot in Thailand.
Man shot dead on Bangkok street
Thais carry on the same way when they move abroad. A Thai couple living in Australia had an argument. The boyfriend, who had previously bought knuckle dusters and a police baton to use as weapons, doused his girlfriend with flammable liquid and set light to her.
The incident was captured on CCTV and shown on TV news a couple of days ago. It was horrendous.
Burn victim told family, friends of concerns about ex-boyfriend
You might be lucky and get off lightly. A friend of mine, a long term Thailand expat, was out on his pushbike and had a go at a Thai on a motorbike who nearly collided with him. The next day he found that some plant pots outside his language teaching business had been smashed. However, it could be a lot more serious.
When you browse the 'Culture' section in your favourite travel guide and read that Thais are non-confrontational, this is the reason why. Many Thais are very vindictive and if you engage in a confrontation it is possible that you will be beaten up, stabbed, shot, killed or set on fire.
Considering the possible consequences, in most cases it is better just to walk away and avoid any confrontation. This is what the travel guides don't tell you.
Wednesday 12th March 2014
Road carnage must end (Bangkok Post editorial)
I've been saying this for 10 years, but it never does.
On Thai TV news last night there was yet another horrific accident involving children (in Nakhon Sawan, I think, but I'm not sure). Three children were killed. The children were thrown from the bus they were in and their bodies were seen lying prone on the road. Very few Thais wear seatbelts and many public transport vehicles don't have seatbelts fitted.
I can find no mention of this accident on the Bangkok Post or Nation websites. Road fatalities occur so routinely in Thailand that they don't even seem worth reporting in the news.
The writer of the Bangkok Post editorial that I've linked to above says that even despite the tragic loss of life of so many innocent children, the authorities and transport companies haven't been moved to do anything.
This is exactly what I have observed. No matter how many tragedies there are, and no matter how many innocent people lose their lives on Thailand's roads, including many children, no one bothers to do anything. The lunacy, law breaking, and complete absence of any law enforcement on the roads just continues unabated.
The fact that no one in Thailand does anything to improve the situation on the roads is the biggest tragedy of all.
Anyway, a Thai newspaper publishing an editorial on this subject at least gives me a glimmer of hope. But will anything happen? This is Thailand, and experience tells me that nothing will happen.
The news this week has been saturated with reports about the missing Malaysian plane. It is obviously a big story, not only because the loss of life but because of the mystery that surrounds what happened to the plane.
I would never trivialise such a tragedy, but roughly the same number of people die on Thailand's road every week and this is treated so insignificantly that most fatalities don't even get reported. Something has to be very wrong.
There is a very dark side to the Land of Smiles.
Thailand's location a boon for international criminals
Spotlight on Thailand's trade in forged passports
How Thailand's trade in fake passports fuels crime gangs around the world
Thailand grapples with 'massive' fake passport racket
Monday 10th March 2014
As soon as I stepped foot in Thailand I realised that Thais thought and behaved very differently to Westerners. Sometimes I could see the logic in their behaviour, but there were many occasions when I found it extremely frustrating.
As the years have passed I have encountered lots more of this Thai cultural behaviour. I have also read quite a lot about the subject and discussed it with fellow expats. There are still things that puzzle me, but I have unravelled some of the mysteries that frustrated me initially.
Here are a few things that happened to me this past week.
- Telling lies in an attempt to save face and then totally losing face
Our three year-old daughter still sleeps with us, but some time in the future she will sleep in the kids' room with her little brother. We already have a single mattress and I was looking at some bunk beds.
I want to be able to use the mattress we already have with any bed that I buy. Looking at the bunk beds, they looked to be shorter than a regular bed. It could have been my imagination, but I wanted to know for sure.
I asked the sales assistant and she assured me, hand-on-heart, that the beds were a standard length. She told me that all their beds were the same length, and only the width varied. I wasn't completely convinced and continued browsing.
A few minutes later another member of staff appeared and told me that the bunk beds were actually 10cm shorter than a standard bed and required a special mattress. Had I bought them I wouldn't have been able to use the mattress we have.
By giving me false information the first sales assistant proved that she didn't know the answer to my question. In such a situation it would have been perfectly acceptable for her to have said, "I don't know, but I will ask," or, "I'm not sure, I'll get a tape measure."
However, not knowing something or not having something is considered a loss of face in Thailand and so to get round this problem the Thai will often just lie. I had some more questions but I refused to speak to the first sales assistant because I didn't want to be lied to again.
The moral here is that you will not always be told the truth in Thailand. Sometimes bad Thais will lie to deceive you: "The Chao Phraya River is closed for maintenance today, but I can give you a complete tour of Bangkok in my tuk-tuk for Bt10."
At other times they will hold back the truth because they don't want to tell you something that you don't want to hear, or they will lie to save face.
When Thais give you an answer you need to use your instincts to determine whether it is the truth. It gets easier the longer you live in Thailand, but it is never easy.
- Cure is better than prevention
When our house was being built the builders installed a network of pipes under the house that feed into the ground below. The idea is that once a year you call in a pest control company and they inject the pipes with a liquid that keeps termites away. Termites can inflict serious structural damage to a property.
We've been in the house over a year and haven't had this done yet, but it is something high on my list of priorities. I spoke to a neighbour who has been living here for three years and asked him to recommend a pest control company.
His response was that he hasn't bothered. He told me that if you don't see any termites then there is no need to do anything. You only need to do something if you see termites.
To my way of thinking this is stupid. If you wait for termites to arrive they will start doing damage by the time you do anything to get rid of them. Also, once they get in it is extremely difficult to eradicate them.
I've been waging a war on ants for months and no matter how many I get rid of, or how many nests I locate and destroy, they just keep coming back.
Thais seem to think that doing something when there isn't a problem is a waste of time and money. They wait until problems occur before doing anything. They don't agree with the Western thinking that, 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.'
- Bullying and intimidation on the roads
I've written a lot about the lunacy on Thais roads and lack of any law enforcement. When I drive these days I often have two young children in the car and it's quite worrying. Recently I pulled up behind a car that had a 'Baby on board' sticker in the back. I asked my wife whether it would be worth getting such a sticker for our cars and she laughed.
When she was having lessons she had a discussion with her instructor about new drivers displaying a sign in their cars advertising the fact they were new drivers. In a civilised country other drivers would know that they are dealing with a new driver and would be more tolerant. Whatever civility may exist in Thailand, it certainly doesn't exist on Thai roads. He warned her against getting one because previous students who had done so had experienced lots of problems.
Many Thais do not observe traffic laws. Instead, most Thai drivers have an attitude that they have right of way over everyone else on the road and there is a culture of bullying and intimidation.
Big vehicles get right of way over smaller vehicles, and therefore many people buy the biggest vehicle they can - which is normally an oversized pickup truck. The driving is highly aggressive so as to intimidate other people and it is well known that aggressive drivers in Thailand often carry weapons, such as iron bars or even guns.
If you advertise the fact that you are a new driver or that you have young children in the car, it simply tells aggressive drivers that you are vulnerable and less likely to fight back. Instead of them being more tolerant towards you, they will see this as a sign of weakness and an invitation to bully you more than usual.
Driving in Thailand is not a pleasant experience.
How do I feel personally about these things? The cultural behaviour in Thailand may be highly frustrating at times, but it keeps life from becoming boring and this can only be a good thing.
When I left the UK in 2003 I was totally bored with life there. I have never been back and I still have no desire to ever go back. My parents went back last week after three months in Thailand and it reminded me of returning to the UK after visiting Thailand as a tourist.
The long flight home was mind-numbingly boring and there was none of the excitement and expectation that there was on the outbound flight. As soon as I opened my front door I returned to the same boring life that I had escaped from a few weeks earlier, and facing work was the worst thing of all.
If the cultural behaviour in Thailand was the same as in the Western world it wouldn't be the same country and it would be boring. I'm pleased that it is different and I am saddened by the continual Westernisation of Thailand with every new huge Western style shopping mall that opens.
The one thing that upsets me more than anything else is the insane driving on Thai roads. I would be quite happy for all the idiots on Thai roads to go out and kill themselves; in fact it would be doing everyone a favour. However, their behaviour and the absence of any effective law enforcement means that they also kill a lot of innocent people as well.
If I could change one thing in Thailand, it would be the behaviour on Thai roads. Unfortunately, the only people who have the power to change anything on Thai roads seem to have no interest in doing so.
The other aspects of the cultural behaviour can be frustrating, but they aren't life-threatening. I find it interesting learning about how Thais behave and think, and as you learn more over time the cultural behaviour becomes easier to deal with.
The other thing I need to add is that there are also plenty of good people in Thailand. They aren't simply good; they are extremely kind, considerate, thoughtful and generous.
My old friends who visited last week arrived bearing gifts for our children. One of my old students called yesterday and she also came with a bag of gifts. My neighbour rang on the doorbell tonight and she had a birthday present for my daughter.
Our other neighbours are also very kind people who take care of our cats when we are away and help whenever they can. Plates of food and fruit are regularly exchanged between neighbours and there is a good community atmosphere.
Mulder explains it well. In Thailand, different views of the world are presented - an inside world and an outside world.
"The inside is the world of near persons, of home, of family, and community; the outside is the world of distant persons, of strangers, power, and suspicion."
With people who are close there is trust, honesty, moral goodness, kindness, etc. With distant others, such as the aggressive pickup truck drivers who you meet on the roads, it is all very different.
Sunday 9th March 2014
The stolen passports used by two passengers on the missing Malaysian Airlines flight were stolen in Thailand.
Two passengers using passports stolen in Thailand
I don't know how they were stolen, but in the past I have been astounded at the way in which tourists just leave their passports lying on an unattended desk at the front of their guesthouse. Their passports are left there overnight and when they go off for the day.
The Thai mai bpen rai attitude of 'never mind, nothing bad will happen' seems to rub off on tourists very quickly and they start doing really stupid things. The unfortunate truth is that many bad things do happen in Thailand.
A passport is a valuable document. You can't leave Thailand without one and there is a lot of expense and hassle involved in getting a replacement.
Getting a replacement needs to be done at your Embassy in Bangkok and going to Bangkok may not be all that convenient if you're taking it easy in Pai or on Phi Phi Island. The combined cost of an emergency passport, along with fares and accommodation, will probably set you back more than Bt10,000.
On the subject of passports, I ordered a replacement door mirror from my local Ford service centre recently and they asked to see my passport. Huh? A few days ago I bought a small table and chairs for my daughter and the same thing happened.
All Thais have to carry a national ID card and because they know that not all foreigners have ID cards, they ask for a passport instead. After I arrived in Thailand I carried a copy of my passport around for the first six months because I had read that this was a requirement.
I stopped doing this after no one asked to see it (and after more than 10 years, still no one has asked to see it).
I can understand the need in certain circumstances to show ID, but when you are paying cash for a small item in a furniture shop or buying a part for your car why do they want ID?
Anyway, in both cases I showed them my Thai driving licence. As an alternative to an ID card, Thais seem quite happy with a Thai driving licence. If you're in Thailand and don't have a Thai driving licence or another form of ID that will satisfy them, it would probably be a good idea to carry your passport or a copy of the important pages in your passport.
In Hat Yai there is a constant threat of terrorist activities because of its proximity to the three troubled provinces and because of its importance as the largest commercial centre in southern Thailand.
There are security guards at every car park in town and to get into any car park it is necessary to show ID, which they scan with a CCTV camera. Again, I use my Thai driving licence for this purpose and it is never an issue.
'Teflon Thailand' is a phrase that I have heard many times before. No matter how serious the problems in the country, nothing ever sticks and everything soon comes bouncing back.
However, Martin Craigs, chief executive of the Pacific-Asia Travel Association (PATA), says that this may not always be the case.
Tourism prospects remain fragile
Apparently, five million Thais rely on the tourist trade for a living and if the current conflict continues it could put 750,000 jobs at risk.
Accident kills 2, injures 12 in Ranong
Six killed in pickup truck crash
Both crashes involved pickup trucks, which doesn't surprise me.
In news reports about road deaths in Thailand two phrases crop up frequently - 'The driver fled the scene' and 'The driver lost control of the vehicle'. In one of these crashes the driver couldn't flee the scene because he killed himself, along with some of his passengers. And if they didn't drive so bloody fast and so bloody recklessly all the time, they wouldn't lose control of their vehicles as often as they do. Will they never learn? We already know the answer to that question.
I have been told that carrying passengers in the back of an open pickup truck is illegal in Thailand, just like running red lights, not wearing a crash helmet on a motorbike, talking on a mobile phone while driving, using home-made sidecars on motorbikes, etc etc.
If a pickup truck flips over, the passengers in the back don't stand a chance. Despite the obvious risks, and despite it being illegal, Thais routinely carry passengers in the back of their trucks. I've seen 20 or more people in the back of some trucks.
But when did the minor matter of something being illegal ever stop anyone from doing anything in Thailand?
Friday 7th March 2014
Whatever the cause of the two forest fires near my house this week, the flames took hold very quickly because everything is so bone dry. The rainy season at the end of last year started late and it seemed to be a lot drier compared to previous years.
Singapore, at the bottom of the Malay Peninsula, has been very dry recently:
February was Singapore's driest month since 1869
The islands in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Satun (Tarutao, Adang, Rawi, Lipe, etc), which are quite close to where I live, are experiencing drought conditions.
Certain areas of Trang province are also experiencing water shortage problems.
In the last few years Thailand has had many problems caused by too much rain. This year the country is already experiencing problems caused by not enough rain.
I get free water at my house and I wasn't sure why. Last week a neighbour told me that our development uses well water, which is why we don't get billed. I hope that the aquifers are full enough to keep us supplied with water until some more rain arrives.
At the moment there are about 70 houses in the development, but some are still empty and some are only lived in part-time. When Phase 2 of the development is complete it will add another 150 homes and there will be far greater demand on the water supply.
Thursday 6th March 2014
My attempt at growing tomatoes (ma-keu-tet) was a failure. I had no previous experience, but suspect I may have been too zealous with the hosepipe and over-watered them. Anyway, the wife wasn't prepared to let me try again and other fruit plants were subsequently planted in their place.
The guava (farang) and mango (ma-muang) trees that she planted went the same way as the tomatoes, in fact, worse. They became diseased and died. I think that the lemon grass (dta-krai) plant is still alive, but it doesn't look very healthy. Neither me nor the wife have green fingers.
Despite this, a couple of plants have really thrived. One is a sweet basil (ho-ra-paa) bush and the other is a papaya (ma-la-gor) tree. The papaya tree is actually worrying me because it keeps shooting up and it won't be long until it's at roof level. We haven't had much time to take care of the garden, apart from some sporadic watering, but it seems extremely hardy and doesn't need much attention.
There have been green papaya fruit on the tree for a while and yesterday one turned yellow. We ate it and it was really good. Another one has turned yellow today. The famous spicy salad known as 'som tum' is made with papaya when it is green and sour. When the fruit turns yellow (orange inside) it is softer and sweeter.
We bought a couple of pomegranate (tup-tim) plants at the local agricultural fair last year. They haven't died, but neither have they grown much. They look about the same as when we bought them. Maybe they will take off soon.
Free time is something that I have had very little of recently. When I get some time one of the things I want to do is spend more time in the garden. It's quite satisfying growing fruit and some of the tropical frits are really tasty, with the notable exception of durian.
My wife wanted to grow strawberries (sa-dtraw-ber-ree), but it's just too hot. They grow in northern Thailand but I understand that they like cool nights, which don't occur in southern Thailand. Plants are very fussy about where they will grow.
When Lee Kuan Yew implemented a policy to green Singapore, Singaporean botanists introduced 8,000 different types of plant from all over the world, but only a quarter of these grew in Singapore's hot, humid and wet climate.
My wife's little motorbike doesn't get used much these days, but it's useful for short journeys to buy food or get things from 7-Eleven. One of the problems with it is that the tyres always seem to be flat.
Yesterday, I noticed another flat tyre and attempted to inflate it. This had no effect. The innertube had split (again) and needed replacing. What seems to happen is that air escapes and the tyre starts to go flat. If the bike is ridden in this state the valve starts to wobble and rub against the wheel rim and this causes the rubber to rupture around the base of the valve.
There's a guy nearby who repairs motorbikes and he charges very little. I popped in there yesterday to get the innertube replaced. His wife told me that he had gone to lunch. I was expecting to have to wait for his return, but to my surprise his wife grabbed the tyre levers and started ripping the old innertube out. She completed the job in about 15 minutes and charged me Bt150 for parts and labour. I was very impressed.
Of course, women are perfectly capable of doing this type of work but because of the gender stereotyping in Thailand I was quite surprised. In Thailand men do manly macho things, such as drinking beer, driving pickup trucks, and repairing cars, while women cook and do the housework.
I wash the dishes at home and do a lot of the ironing. When my wife's friends or relatives visit and find me at the ironing board their jaws drop in disbelief because in Thailand real men don't iron clothes or wash dishes. This is probably why I have never had many male friends in Thailand.
When the annual Songkran road carnage figures are announced each year, motorcyclists always top the list. One reason is that they have so little (or no) protection, but when you see how they drive you realise that there are other reasons.
The main road at the front of our development is frightening. Cars, buses, vans, pickup trucks and huge 10 wheel trucks hurtle along as fast as they can, weaving in and out of lanes and overtaking on the hard shoulder and wrong side of the road. Since moving to this house I have seen lots of accidents on this road - some of which have been quite nasty.
This morning I was taking my daughter to nursery. I was driving at about 80kmh in the left lane taking it easy and, as usual, constantly watching out for Thai stupidity.
In front of me was a small motorbike with three people sitting on it. As I was about to pass, the guy decided to turn right without any indication. He pulled out in front of me and I had to brake to avoid hitting him.
As he crossed the lane I was in he then started to cross the fast lane and came straight into the path of a pickup truck travelling at high speed that had just overtaken me. The truck had to brake sharply and wasn't at all happy with the motorcyclist.
The bike then sat in the middle of the road waiting for a break in the traffic going in the other direction. It was crazy. He didn't get hit this time, but it could have been very different. None of the people on the bike were wearing helmets, and even if they were vehicles on this road drive so fast that wearing a helmet would be of no use.
If I ride the bike I normally travel at about 40kmh. With traffic constantly passing me at very high speed, if I want to turn right I just pull in to the left and wait until the road is clear. My life is far more important than saving a minute or two.
Thais never do this. They just pull out if they want to turn right. Sometimes they indicate, sometimes they don't, and very few look in their mirror. Mirrors on bikes are mainly used by teenagers as an aid for squeezing their zits, nothing else.
Amazing Thailand.
Wednesday 5th March 2014
On Sunday there was a strong smell of smoke in the air and lots of black embers falling from the sky. The fire brigade showed up and later a neighbour told us that it was a forest fire.
Exactly the same thing happened today, except that the fire was a lot bigger and a lot closer to our house. With this one I could actually see the flames. Four fire engines showed up and doused the affected area with lots of water.
Everything went quiet, but then the flames reignited and the firemen sprayed more water. Our house was never at risk, but it was quite frightening all the same. I have relatives in Colorado, and Colorado has experienced some extremely serious wild fires in recent years. They are so powerful that not a lot can be done to protect property.
Our local fire brigade arrived promptly today and did a good job putting the fire out. There hasn't been any rain for quite a while now, it's getting very hot, and everything is tinder dry.
I don't know how these two fires were started, but I spoke with one of the firemen today and he was of the opinion that a person was responsible.
News stories of big fires in Thailand occur quite frequently. There are still quite a lot of old, wooden buildings in the country and when fire takes a hold it can get out of hand very quickly. This is one reason why Singapore banned Chinese firecrackers. Another cause of fires is sky lanterns.
Thousands of floating paper lanterns, lit from inside by candles, are released into the sky at Loy Gratong. They make for an attractive spectacle, but they can be dangerous and occasionally they start fires. Many Thais never seem to think of the possible consequences when they do things. Fire marshalls in the US want the lanterns banned, but they continue to be used in Thailand.
Fire hazard: US fire marshals urge state bans on paper sky lanterns
Other countries are also calling for bans:
Latest fire caused by Chinese sky lanterns increases calls for a ban
Today's fire left the outside of the house in a terrible state with soot, ashes and embers everywhere. I've done quite a bit of cleaning up, but will have to continue tomorrow. The firemen have left, but there is still a crackling sound coming from the forest area and I'm afraid that the flames may reignite again.
The local wildlife also suffered. At the height of the blaze the sky was full of Pacific Swallows, some of whom may have lost young in the flames. I suspect that many other birds, reptiles and mammals also perished today.
I've been having some very interesting conversations with a Thai nurse recently and she has been able to plug quite a few gaps in my knowledge. There are still things that I'm not sure about, but if I get answers I will make updates here.
I've written a lot about the excellent healthcare system in Thailand, and also that after our newborn son spent three weeks in an excellent ICU facility we didn't have to pay anything. We continue taking him for checks at the hospital's children's clinic and it is all free.
Government workers (and there are a huge number of them in Thailand) not only get free healthcare, but so do their families - their parents, spouses (but not siblings), and children up to the age of 20.
They can be treated at any government hospital and they get the best quality drugs. Some government hospitals have VIP private rooms and if you don't work for the government, these can be quite expensive. My wife was in such a room for the birth of our daughter and it was Bt5,000 per night. Apparently, government workers can upgrade to these rooms for just a few hundred Baht.
Workers in private companies have money deducted each month for national insurance, which goes towards healthcare costs. The insurance is only for them and I think that they have to nominate a hospital. If they go to another hospital they have to pay. However, if their nominated hospital doesn't have the right facilities and needs to transfer them to another hospital, they don't have to pay.
Thais who neither work for the government nor a private company (there are lots of these too) get free healthcare. This is the Bt30 healthcare system that Thaksin put in place, but now it is free. People have to nominate a hospital to get free healthcare and a disadvantage of this system is that they don't get the best quality drugs.
When our son was in ICU everything was free, but at one stage he developed a problem which required a special drug and I had to pay. This happened just once. Presumably, a cheap version of this particular drug wasn't available for the free healthcare system.
The example that my nurse friend gave me was that there are five or six different brands of paracetamol available. Government employees get the best quality, and people on the free healthcare system get the lowest quality.
She also told me that people involved in the rubber industry can apply for cheap healthcare through the Thai Rubber Association. They pay a small amount each month and get free healthcare. Why pay anything if they can get it for free? I guess that they get a better level of service.
My wife's father had an operation on his back and her mother has had knee replacements. Her father had an MRI scan before his operation, which he also had to pay for. These operations were done at a government hospital and at first I didn't know why they weren't free. The reason is because they didn't want to wait.
As is the case with the UK National Health System (NHS), patients sometimes have to wait a long time for operations and procedures carried out under the free Thai healthcare system. To get faster service Thais can pay.
In addition to the public healthcare system, there are hundreds of private hospitals and thousands of private clinics. Many doctors at our local hospitals run private clinics in the evenings and at weekends. These aren't free, of course.
The private hospitals provide a very high level of service and it normally isn't necessary to wait long. At a public hospital you may have a very long wait because they are always so crowded. One of our local hospitals also has lots of beds in corridors because the wards are full. It may be free, but there is no privacy or dignity, and you will have mosquitoes to contend with.
Furthermore, there are also hospitals in Thailand devoted to specific professions. My neighbour's husband, who is a high-ranking soldier, had cruciate ligament surgery and it was done at a special hospital in Bangkok for soldiers. There are hospitals for police and hospitals for monks.
It is forbidden for women to touch monks, but an exception is made for nurses on the provision that she wears a white nurses' uniform. No other colour will do.
I will try to get some more information, but basically, all Thais have access to some kind of free healthcare. If they work for the government they get additional benefits, and if they have money they can get private healthcare.
My nurse friend also confirmed my observation that nurses are selected for different nursing roles based on their looks, rather than their ability. Pretty nurses are favoured at private hospitals and in special VIP wards at public hospitals. She works in a normal ward and tells me there are no beautiful nurses.
She also told me that in a survey that was carried out, Thais nurses were ranked third in taking care of patients. She said that in many Western countries nurses just do their job and don't have much of a personal interest in the patients.
I have to admit that when you are feeling under the weather, there is nothing that raises the spirits more than a pretty, smiling Thai nurse in her freshly starched uniform.
If I was still in the UK and needed to pay money for healthcare or dentistry there, I would seriously consider going to Thailand to be treated and combine it with a vacation. Depending what you need done, the savings could easily pay for a free vacation.
The hospitals have access to the best equipment and drugs and the doctors are very good, not to mention those lovely, smiling nurses. Thailand has many social and political problems, but its healthcare system is excellent.
As a farang in Thailand, what do you have access to? It depends on your status. Thailand is very keen to promote medical tourism and all foreigners will be made very welcome at private hospitals. There will be staff on hand who speak English and they will ease you through the paperwork. Private clinics are also open to foreigners. The doctors may or may not be proficient in English.
When I worked at a government university hospital, money was deducted from my salary for national insurance and I was given a card to use that entitled me to free treatment. Foreigners can use government hospitals, but they will be charged.
Public hospitals are not generally geared up to dealing with foreigners. When our son was in hospital my conversations with all the nurses and all but one doctor were in Thai. Dealing with Thai bureaucracy and administrative processes can be a nightmare at a Thai public hospital, especially when everyone speaks Thai and all the forms are written in Thai. It's not impossible, but it may be difficult for a lot of people.
I have private insurance and this entitles me to be treated at any private hospital. Such policies are available from companies such as BUPA and AXA. The cost of the policy depends on your age and the level of insurance that you require. IPD and OPD coverage are separate. I have policies for both.
If I go to a private hospital they will deal directly with my insurance company and I don't have to pay anything, unless the cost exceeds my level of coverage.
I can also see doctors at private clinics, but I have to pay first and then manually submit a claim to the insurance company.
Insurance is a gamble. My medical insurance saved me money last year, but this year I have only used it once. My attitude towards medical insurance is that Thailand is a dangerous country and that if I am involved in a serious road accident I don't want financial worries in addition to having to deal with physical injuries.
Having medical insurance in Thailand gives me a lot of peace of mind, and no price can be placed on having peace of mind.
Tuesday 4th March 2014
When I first came to live in Thailand at the end of 2003 my brother had just relocated to Singapore from Sydney. I took advantage of having somewhere to stay for free and spent quite a bit of time down there. It always felt good visiting a clean, law-abiding country where you didn't risk your life every time you attempted to cross a road.
It was more expensive than Thailand, but it didn't seem that expensive. However, that was all to change a few years later. When I first started visiting regularly, one UK pound bought about three Singapore dollars, but by 2010 the rate had gone down to around two Singapore dollars.
Property prices also started to go crazy and the Singapore government has had to take actions recently to cool the market. All of a sudden Singapore started to get very expensive and now it has just been ranked as the world's most expensive city.
Singapore named the world's most expensive city
Singapore is world's costliest city
Singapore continues to be popular with rich Southeast and East Asians. The tiny nation state has very little land and very few natural resources. With so much demand and so little supply, land is extremely expensive. Utilities are expensive and most food is imported. The Singapore government did away with the country's pig farms years ago.
I've heard Singapore referred to as 'Asia for beginners', but actually it's like nothing else in the region. Western foreigners are always highly impressed when they first see Singapore. I enjoy quick visits there, but I wouldn't want to live there permanently.
It's very expensive and even though there are a lot of attractions to keep tourists occupied for a few weeks, it becomes quite boring once you've lived there for a while.
Many Singaporeans take the opportunity to spend weekends in southern Thailand. They enjoy the change of scene and they seem to enjoy the extra freedom that they have in Thailand, not to mention the lower prices. Singapore is very safe and very law-abiding, but it can seem quite restrictive at times.
I am really enjoying reading Lee Kuan Yew's memoir again. It's about Singapore, obviously, but when LKY describes the transformation of Singapore from Third World to First I can't help but think about Thailand.
Thaksin had plans to turn Thailand into a First World country and was influenced by South Korea, Taiwan and especially Singapore. I never believed he could achieve this and I maintain that belief.
Writing about Singapore in the 1960's, LKY states:
"Thousands would sell cooked food on the pavements and streets in total disregard of traffic, health, or other considerations. The resulting litter and dirt, the stench of rotting food, and the clutter and obstructions turned many parts of the city into slums."
This is a perfectly good description of present-day Thailand, fifty years after Singapore started its transformation. Thai street vendors are everywhere and regard any unused piece of pavement as belonging to them. It is necessary to put signs up to stop vendors from setting up their mobile shops outside your house or place of work.
LKY also mentions cowherds bringing their animals into the city to graze, and on the main road close to where I live I often have to stop to wait for a herd of cows to cross the road.
Singapore also banned the use and importation of Chinese firecrackers because of the noise pollution and fire risk. They are not banned in Thailand and consequently it sounds like a war zone during Chinese New Year.
LKY says that improving the infrastructure in Singapore, for example planting trees and cleaning things up, was relatively easy, but changing the rough and ready ways of the people wasn't.
If it was difficult for Singapore, what chance does Thailand have of ever becoming a First World country? Singapore is tiny in comparison, Singapore's population is a fraction of the size of Thailand's population, and Singapore has a strict rule of law, whereas laws are not followed or enforced in Thailand.
Monday 3rd March 2014
Of the many people I've met and become friendly with in Thailand over the years (mostly girls), very few have remained in touch. Thais like the novelty of new places, things and people. When new shops open they are so crowded at first that you can hardly move. A month later they are empty.
I've been told by Thais that they like to change their cars often because they get bored with their old cars. When I meet Thais for the first time they often make me feel as if I am the star attraction, but this changes quite quickly.
It's not always the case and yesterday two old friends called. I've known them both for about 10 years. One is a local councillor (and niece of the mayor), and the other is a proper massage therapist at a high class hotel in Bangkok - Kempinski Residences Siam. She's a very 'riep roi' girl, despite the obvious connotations of being a Thai massage girl and she has only ever worked in 5 star establishments where a Bt500 hand job isn't part of the service.
She was telling me that she hasn't been working lately because occupancy rates are so low. The occupancy rate at the moment is 20%, whereas it is normally 80% plus at this time of year.
A huge number of Thais work in the tourist industry and many must now be getting quite worried. The ongoing conflict is definitely having an effect on the tourism industry. If you keep away from protest sites you are very unlikely to have any problems, however, the sensationalist way that news is reported is no doubt keeping people away.
The problems are not only hurting the tourist industry. Every aspect of the economy is being affected.
FPO boss paints dark picture with economic outlook
One of the pages of Lee Kuan Yew's memoir that I opened randomly was in the chapter titled 'Indonesia: From Foe to Friend'. This was a little ironic in light of recent events.
Between 1963 and 1966 there was an undeclared war between Indonesia and Malaysia, known as Konfrontasi. Singapore joined Malaysia in September 1963, but was expelled in 1965.
The relationship between tiny Singapore and its large neighbours, including Indonesia, has always been strained. Singapore needs raw materials from its neighbours because the country has so few natural resources, but there is resentment about Singapore's wealth.
Indonesia has accused Singapore of allowing smuggling to take place, meaning it allows Indonesian merchants to export their goods through Singapore thus evading Indonesian taxes. As a 'free port' Singapore sees nothing wrong with this.
LKY writes that in the early 60's the Indonesian foreign minister said that one day Indonesia would come to Singapore to look after the country. LKY did not regard this as an idle threat.
On 10th March 1965 two Indonesian marine commandos (Harun Said and Osman Haji Mohammed Al) carried out a terrorist attack on MacDonald House in Singapore. In his memoir, LKY says this happened in 1964, but other sources say 1965.
In 1967 Britain had notified Singapore that it would withdraw its troops in 1971 and without the defence of the British the small nation state was afraid of being taken over by one of its big neighbours. In a show of strength, Singapore went ahead and hanged the Indonesians on 17 October 1968.
Their executions caused a violent reaction and worsened relations between the two countries. The marine commandos were honoured as heroes in Indonesia. This episode should have been put to rest when LKY made an official visit to Indonesia in May 1973 and scattered flowers on the graves of the two commandos. But it wasn't to be.
There have been a lot of reports on Channel News Asia recently about Indonesia naming a warship after the two hanged commandos. This, naturally, has caused more friction between the two countries and Singapore has banned the warship from its ports. Indonesia claims that it has a right to honour its heroes.
Singapore concerned over naming of Indonesian navy ship after executed commandos
As an outsider, this action by Indonesia does seem to be extremely insensitive. Obviously, Indonesia still does not regard the matter as closed.
On the news yesterday was another report about slash and burn farming practices in Indonesia with a warning that Singapore could yet again be engulfed in haze soon. This is another bone of contention that exists between the two countries.
Far from living harmoniously together, this region has - and always has had - a lot of conflict. Malaysia and Singapore are always bickering, Thailand and Cambodia have had lots of issues regarding old temples and border disputes, Thailand and Burma fought wars for hundreds of years and before Thailand was one country the various centres of power fought with each other. Many old Thai cities had city walls for protection and parts of these can still be seen today.
There is a lot of awareness about ASEAN in Thailand, but I will be interested to see how it works out in practice. With the exception of Singapore, countries in the region use protectionist policies to protect their own interests. What will happen when these disappear?
What will be the common language of ASEAN? I can't imagine that a language from one of the member countries will be used because it will alienate too many people. English is probably the most widely spoken second language and it would make sense to use English, but English skills are very poor in Thailand.
How will so much history and bad feeling between certain countries in the region affect cooperation between member countries?
The Asean Economic Community (AEC) is set to be established by 2015, not long now.
Sunday 2nd March 2014
I'm not a die-hard petrolhead, but I've always liked cars, especially those that are a little unusual and/or not driven by the masses.
I never thought that I would ever own a Ford. My house in the UK is a few hundred yards from Ford's UK Headquarters and Ford have had a strong UK presence in East London and Essex (where I come from) for a long time. Everyone there drives Fords and it was never a brand I was interested in.
In Thailand, however, there aren't that many Fords. Most people drive Toyota or Isuzu pickup trucks, or Toyota or Honda saloons. In my opinion, these cars - especially big, ugly pickup trucks - are beyond boring.
Last year I got quite hooked on watching 'Wheeler Dealers' episodes on YouTube. Mike Brewer just annoys me, but I really enjoy watching Edd China doing his workshop renovations of old, classic cars. One episode was about the restoration of a Willys Jeep. It was bought in the States, as were the parts used to restore it.
The US military had a strong presence in Thailand from the early 60's to mid 70's and as you might imagine they left quite a lot of hardware behind after they left.
As I was driving home recently I found myself behind a Willys Jeep. It looked great and they must be quite a blast to drive, although nothing like driving a modern car.
They aren't all that cheap and I get the impression that Thais replace the original engines (and probably other parts) with Japanese units to save on maintenance and increase reliability. I've talked to a few guys who run ancient Mercedes share taxis and these old jalopies, which are older than me, are all powered by Nissan engines.
A quick search on Google reveals a number of Willys Jeeps for sale in Thailand and various clubs run by enthusiasts where, no doubt, you can get help and advice.
Some farangs come to Thailand with the dream of cruising around on a fat motorbike. I've never been one for two wheels, but I would be tempted by a good Willys Jeep at the right price in the right condition.
A little toy like this wouldn't be particularly cheap and it would definitely need to be a second (fun) car. It wouldn't be suitable for family use and I would imagine that certain repairs and parts acquisition could take a long time.
When restoring classic cars real enthusiasts are obsessive about authenticity and that could also be a problem in Thailand where replacing original parts with modern equivalents seems to be standard practice.
Oh, and the other problem would be getting approval from a Thai wife if you have one. This would probably be the most difficult part of all.
I find it quite telling that the Thai language has many similar expressions to English, except that Thais refer to their hearts, the organ associated with emotion, and Westerners refer to their brain, the organ associated with thinking, logic and analysis.
The Thai word 'jai' can translate to either heart or mind. I would suspect that most Westerners normally associate their mind with their brain, and not their heart.
We refer to some people as 'hot-headed', whereas to Thais they are 'jai rawn' (hot heart). We 'change our minds', whereas Thais 'bplian jai' (change heart). The Thai language is full of 'jai (heart) expressions and as soon as you start learning Thai you start to meet these expressions.
For example, to understand something 'kao jai' means to enter your heart, rather than entering your brain.
Many Thais aren't happy at the moment with the way the country is run, but what I don't hear in Thailand is any real, deep analysis of the problems. What I do see is people not being able to control their emotions and then shooting guns or tossing grenades into crowds of innocent people.
Poor education has a lot to do with the general problems in Thailand and the Thai education system is regularly ranked as the poorest in the region. However, it doesn't stop with education.
Although you would never believe it watching the never-ending drivel that is served up on Thai TV, television can actually be education. Thai TV consists of news with very little or no analysis, inane soap operas and 'comedy' shows, and if any National Geographic type shows are shown and dubbed into Thai they are normally about large anacondas. Thai TV is so puerile, childish and pathetic that I can't really find the words to describe it.
On the other hand, some foreign channels are excellent. I have never watched much TV, but I watch Channel News Asia (a Singapore based channel) quite often. I learn a lot about the region and not only does it show me how other countries in Asia are getting ahead, but it shows how Thailand is being left further and further behind.
Channel News Asia educates me about Thailand, something that Thai TV channels don't seem interested in. Last night there was a good show about Chiang Mai with an emphasis on architecture. A few months ago there was an excellent documentary about the violence between groups of rival technical college students in Thailand.
I have learned from Channel News Asia that most schools in Singapore now have 3D printers. Students learn about the technology and then actually have to make the printer produce something.
When I questioned some Matayom 6 students a few years ago about their ICT studies, I found out that all they do (in the time-honoured tradition of Thai rote learning) is memorise statistics about different networking protocols, etc. There is nothing practical and when I set an exercise to test their basic HTML skills I found that they had none.
Channel News Asia has shown a couple of very interesting reports recently about China and the way that China is changing to meet the needs of the future. Singapore is involved with both projects.
This morning there was a show about the setting up of a knowledge city in Guangzhou. China has acknowledged the problems associated with the huge counterfeiting trade in the country and knows that to survive it must be creative and innovative.
In addition to setting up new knowledge based industries, there is to be a clampdown on counterfeiting and more education about intellectual property rights. Singapore is ranked second in the world with regard to intellectual property protection.
Another project is the setting up of a huge new food zone in Jilin. When I was born the world population was three billion. It is now over seven billion and by 2040 there could be nine million. With so many people in the world, having enough food and fresh drinking water will soon be a problem. The Chinese food zone will have levels of food hygiene that are acceptable to Singapore, that is, very high.
Both China and Singapore are looking ahead. Singapore has the knowledge, but not the land or natural resources and therefore has to collaborate with other countries.
Why isn't Thailand taking similar initiatives?
The country has a huge amount of fertile land and could do a lot more with food production. What about setting up a knowledge city with all the associated infrastructure and education establishments in northeast Thailand? Not only would this benefit Thailand in the long term, but it would give opportunities to those outside of Bangkok in a desperately poor region.
Thailand still operates on a system of cheap labour. The assembly plants and chicken factories all rely on lots of cheap, manual labour.
For as long as this goes on, there will always be a small percentage of mega-rich Thais who own businesses, but there will always be a poor majority. And for as along as there is a huge wealth gap in the country there will always be resentment among the poor and social and political strife.
On this subject, Channel News Asia previewed a report this morning that they will be showing later this week about wealth gaps in societies. The debate will be about the effects caused by huge wealth gaps, whether Singapore needs to do anything or not, and if so, what. This is the kind of debate that should be taking place in Thailand.
The problems in Thailand appear to be poor education, a general inability to think ahead and analyse, feudal attitudes regarding status in society, individual greed for status, power and money, and a desire among those who control the country to keep the status quo and not to change anything that may undermine their power, status or privileges.
Singapore is not a country I would wish to live in, even if I could afford it, which I can't. However, the Singaporeans do a lot of things right and Lee Kuan Yew is a fascinating individual.
A few days ago I started re-reading LKY's riveting memoir - 'From Third World to First'. I have read it once before from cover to cover, but there is so much information in the book that it is worthy of being read many times.
I've just been reading random sections and came across a great quote from the Indonesian Prime Minister Djuanda, who LKY considered an excellent man - 'able, highly educated and realistic'.
LKY remarked that Indonesia was blessed with very fertile soil, a favourable climate, and abundant resources. The sad reply was, "God is for us, but we are against ourselves."
With the country is now so divided, that remark could just as easily be applied to Thailand.
Singapore has achieved so much in the last 50 years with virtually no natural resources, but with lots of direction and clever leadership. Thailand is blessed with abundant natural resources, but is decades behind Singapore because of poor leadership.