What makes a Thai a “Thai”

ok, before anyone goes, WHAT??!!! another post of Thailand again, let me assure that it will be the last post about it.

during the whole duration of our trip to Bangkok (and also during our previous trip to Phuket), the Thais thought us as their fellow countrymen too.

yup, whenever we are in the market (and almost everywhere else), they will speak to us in Thai. why? most probably due to our skin colour, especially GF’s.

but what really makes someone truly Thai? or maybe it is more like what are the must-haves to be a true Bangkok citizen.

based on my observation, the main thing you’ll need is this:

can you guess what is this stick?

No? does it give you any clue?

this is what it looks like when opened

Main ingereidents are eucalyptus oil, menthor, camphor & borneol. still dun get it? ok, the photo below will reveal you the answer:

i look like a druggie

yes, we saw a lot of them shoving this magic stick up their nostril and gave it a big snort.

and i thought people only use it when they had flu or something. but no!! these people are really crazy about it. you see many of them, regardless of:

• sex. who cares if it doesn’t look feminine as long as they got a shot of it.
• Occupation. peddlars to white collars to students
• Age. for the young one, it looks cool!!! for the older folks, holding it alone makes you 20 years younger.

they are so obsessed till i even saw one guy who snorts it even when wearing a face mask!

out of curiosity, i decided to buy one and give it a try, much to the chagrin of GF.

true to the product’s slogan (Poy-Sian), we will definitely get a RELIEF OF VERTIGO! one snort, a signal will be sent to your brain faster than the speed of light and the next thing you know, you’ll be in seventh heaven.

the second thing i noticed that is very common is Thai University students. in tight white shirt and black short (and sometimes tight) skirts.

here’s one that i got from the internet (don’t drool…):

how i wish university students in Malaysia wear this uniform…

you can see them in their uniform all over the place and anytime of the day (early in the morning or late at night and even during weekends). either they like their uniform so much or they didn’t bother to change after class.

there’s no way to differentiate their university except their badge and their belt. which leads me to the next must-haves if you are a Thai (university student, that is).

they do wear belts but the odd thing is, the skirts does not have any belt loops. to keep the belts secure,they use (of all things) this:

apologize for the blur image. was using my old camera phone to take this…

yes, a paper clip…

by the time you read until here, you will either get 2 conclusion, that i am:

1. a very observant person. or,
2. i’m a pervert who spends a lot of time gawking at university girls’ ass.

i’m a combination of the above two, actually…

unfortunately, we dare not take photos of the paper clips that holds the belt. i wouldn’t dare to take the photos of their ass…

but a search in the internet will return a lot of results:

photo taken from www.myitchyfingers.wordpress.com

but to be fair, there are also those who take the effort to put on some fancy clips instead of those ugly looking paper clips.

all this paper clip-that-hold-the-belt only applies to females students. as for males, we didn’t really get to see them. either they feel ashamed of their uniform or the ratio between male and female university students is significantly unbalanced.

what do the Thais eat then? beats me, although i saw a lot of them buying som tam.

what we really noticed is what they drink. from the first day itself, we noticed that they seem to drink yogurt drink a lot. one of it is Yakult.

but Yakult does not really appeal to both of us as it was too small. not enough for both of us. instead, we go for the made in Thailand brand. introducing Betagen!!!

at last, there is something that is big enough for two of us!!!

it taste just like Yakult or Vitagen. in fact, the name itself rhymes with Vitagen. makes us wonder if it is a fake version of Vitagen. haha!

so, go on and bring this around if you got bored of the fruits or lime juice to replenish your thirst.

if not, just grab a Pepsi

i didn’t remember anyone having Coke there anyway…

and, this is the last must-haves (applicable in Bangkok only). no, actually i’m just lazy to type anymore. haha!

BTS Smart Pass

yes, this is the Thai version of our Touch n’ Go. i think i had posted it in the previous post too. taking BTS without these is a hassle. the reason being:

1. the machines only accept coins.
2. yes, there is a counter at the station, but when we went there, instead of dispensing us the tickets, they gave us coins to get it from the machines instead. pfft!!!

but strange enough, we also noticed that there are a lot of them who don’t use the Pass. maybe they don’t take BTS very often? ok then, maybe Thai’s don’t really need it.

Please take not, this is only my observation. don’t take it too seriously. haha!

**btw, congratz to GF a.k.a. fatpig for posting her first post. keep it going, girl!!!

Bangkok Shopping Spree

Going to Bangkok with 3 half full bag but coming bag with at least 3 fully loaded bag is not yet a satisfaction for me! Because when i came back, i notice i really missed out a lot of things! i keep telling to myself : "Gosh! should have bought more of this & more of that!", "why didn't i buy a efw more color?"..... but then of coz we are almost out of cash on the last 2 days. which is also the day which we went to MBK & Chatuchak! Might consider buying the the clothes there and start my business here.. hehe.. a job that for sure i will enjoy doing... Till then, i will have to get back to reality and start paying my credit card bill which is the price that i need to pay for being a shopaholic in Bangkok!

Bangkok trip 09.06.09 – 13.06.09 (Part 4 – final)

5th day (13.06.09)

today is the last day we will be in Bangkok. was an hour behind schedule as we were very very tired. couldn’t really wake ourselves up.

we checked out from Suk 11 and left our belongings there before going to our final place of interest, Chatuchak Market. don’t expect us to lug our bags around the market right?

Leaving our mark on the walls of Suk 11. can you find it?

now can you see it? damn, wrong grammar. should’ve put ‘were’ instead of ‘was’. just in case we forget where we wrote this in the future, it was written on the wall of the TV room, on the left of the entrance.

and oh, we got our blazers from the receptionist too. apparently the tailor sent it to Suk 11 at 11pm. talk about fast service. took my measurements at 12pm, second fitting at 5 something and got it for me at 11pm. all in less than 12 hours. fits just nice.

anyway, back to our trip. left to Chatuchak Market by taking BTS to Mo Chit station at 9am.

Taking photos in Nana Station…

In case you missed the train, you can always press this. lol!

this Smart Pass (something like our Touch n’ Go) has been serving us for the past 3 days. it will continue to serve for 5 years as it is valid for that long.

The moment you arrived in Chatuchak, remember to get a map of it coz it is a BIG market! and it seems that the market is colour coded to differentiates the stuff that they sells.

the stuff in Platinum Mall is cheap, but Chatuchak is even cheaper. barely 5 minutes into the market, GF already have bought 2 t-shirts!

and oh, i forgot to inform one important thing in the previous posts. Pratunam Market, Platinum Mall and Chatuchak Market does not have a fitting room. if you really need to try the clothes, wear something light so you can just slip it on.

did not took many photos on that day as we were busy doing last ditch shopping. shopped a bit too much till we have to find a money changer. haha!

some photos that i took on that day:

inside of the market

outside the market

Security offices on Segway. cool!!!

there’s a few beggars/street performer trying to get some money. pictured is a boy playing some music instrument. looks like he just came back from school. pity him though. how lucky we are…

Left the market at around 1pm. since we still have some time before taking our flight home (and also abit of money in our Smart Pass), we decide to take BTS to around Siam Paragon for a walk.

Cam-whoring in Siam Paragon coz we were exhausted on the last day

and yes, we went for a foot massage one last time after that coz our legs are killing us after so much intense walking!

and finally, we left for airport at 4pm to catch our flight later.

the aftermath: 1 backpacker’s backpack, 1 backpack, 1 luggage bag, 1 large bag, i small sized bag and a paper bag. all stuffed like a turkey!

and there goes our trip to Bangkok, all documented. we will definitely return in 5 years time!!! Till then, Bye Bangkok. Loved to shopped there, but hate to see the bills though!!!

~fin~

Bangkok trip 09.06.09 – 13.06.09 (Part 3)

4th day (12.06.09)

this will be one day where we are taking the most photos!!!

Today’s agenda is to visit the temples during the first half of the day and shopping on the second half of the day.

As usual, we took BTS to the end of the station, Mo Chit station. from then on, we have to take a ferry to reach our destination, Grand Palace.

Boat ride to our destination.

there’s a lot of temples along the Chao Phraya river but suprisingly, there’s also a church!

the fare is not expensive and it only takes us approximately 20 minutes to reach.

On our way to Grand Palace, we met a bunch of university students from Indonesia who coincidentally stayed in the same hostel as us and also going to the Grand Palace. and boy, they do know how to enjoy themselves during semester breaks, starting their trip from Phuket, Krabi, then Bangkok and finally ending their trip in Macau. nice!!!

anyway,we parted ways when they drop off at Tha Tien Pier while we got off at Maharaj pier. Why dropping off at different pier when our destination is the same?!

that is when i kinda regretted getting of at Maharaj pier. at first, i’ve planned to get off at Tha Tien pier too. but just as i wanted to buy ticket, i saw this Maharaj pier with a star on the map. so i decided to stop there. but apparently there’s nothing much to see and worse, it is way farther to the main gates of the Grand Palace.

and the walls surrounding the Palace is sooo long, we can’t seem to see the end of it. till we saw one guy in dressed smartly black standing nearby one of the restricted entrance of the Grand Palace calling us and informed us that today is Buddha day and will only open at 2.30 pm and suggested us to go some other place to go. that guy is damn friendly and he also shows us his emblem, telling us that he is an employee of Grand Palace. he then proceed to get a Tuk-Tuk for us to go to other place for only 40Bht.

This is where i think i will hate myself for being so gullible. after all the warning from Lonely Planet that there are no such thing as Buddha Day and never trust those ‘too good to be true friendly Thais’, i can’t believe i actually fall for that trap!!!

luckily the ride only costs us 40Bht. but time was wasted then… my whole plan was ruined in some way.

view from a 2-seater Tuk-Tuk

Photos taken while in Tuk-Tuk. damn scary man…

but anyway, the Tuk-Tuk took us to a not so commercialised temple. AND, the catch of a 40Bht Tuk-Tuk ride? they will bring you to a few shops selling jewelleries and stuff (a.k.a. tourist trap). he knew that we will not buy from those shops but he informed us to spend time in those shops and try those products even though we do not intend to buy. The reason being? this:

Free gas card - front

Free gas card - back

Yes, Tuk-Tuk drivers are paid by shops to bring unsuspecting tourist into their shops. and in order for the drivers to get free petrol, the driver will need us to spend time in shops for certain of time (say 15minutes per shop). but of course we did not spend that much time, which did not please the driver.

however, on the last shop, we hit a jackpot (or more like the driver) , coz it is a tailor shop. good, coz i wanted to make a blazer anyway. swiped off 480Bht from the card (yikes!) to make a blazer and pants. boy, i think the driver will be very happy as i am but for different reasons though (i’m happy coz i can get a blazer that suits me, him coz he may get commissions and free gas). we saw that his smile is as wide as Chao Phraya river.

during a visit to a temple earlier, we were chatting with one of a lone tourist too, Andy from Mauritius. one thing that we talked about is the Tuk-Tuks who brought people to those shops and all that. and this is how he replied: “We all know about that but we don’t have to buy a thing. just play along with them”. those words consoled me a bit later that day. Thanks to Andy for those Zen-like words!

anyway, back to the trip. we proceed to ask the driver to get us back to Grand Palace. damn!!! the main gate is nearby the place where we got stopped earlier!!!

and off to Grand Palace we go! Get ready your 350Bht for the entrance (which also includes a few other places but we did not went).

i think i will let the pictures do most of the talking:

View from outside the walls

This photo says one word: GRAND!!!

cam-whores at work

Inside the walls of the Grand Palace

Hot Hot weather but great scenery

Remember to where decently when in Grand Palace. no shorts or sleeveless of even flip-flops! respect the Temples even if it is so hot!

Halt!!!

Look at those intricate work!

All of the templesare so large, my point-and-shoot cam can’t even take a full shot at any of the it!

Duno why but i loved this shot a lot!!!

All these micro designs are worth the 350Bht that we paid for!

we are not allowed to take photos inside the temples. this is the best i can get zooming from from the outside.

Too many temples inside. i’ve lost count of it.

it’s an alter of four faced Buddha i think. the statues was blocked. sorry.

Huge doors to one of the temple

Mini Angkor Wat

my, what tall pillars they have!

Me giving a helping hand

One of the many guardians

Stories on the wall

Translations please

Just beside Wat Phra Kaew is the Palace. Pictures are as below. enjoy!

Marching under the hot sun?! they deserves a salute!!!

The Palace Guard

The Palace (if i’m not mistaken)

it looks traditional but i think they infused some colonial architecture in it too

This is actually a hall for royal functions

Next stop, we went to Wat Pho. it is actually on the right hand side of the main gate of the Grand Palace. but when we asked one of the soldiers manning the Palace, this is what he told us:

“turn left, then turn left”

We were not really convinced with his answers as the maps seems to show that it is on the right of the Palace. so we asked another soldier. and he said:

“turn left, then turn left”

ok, at this time, we were not sure whether to trust our map or trust those soldiers. but we decided trust the soldiers instead as we felt that they should know better.

that’s a wrong decision…

i guess all those marching under the hot sun is messing up their brains.

it seems that walking under the hot sun also messes up our brains.

Grand Palace area is rectangular area. turning left twice meant that we will be going BEHIND the Grand Palace (the same place we walked earlier when we were stopped by that so-called friendly guy).

in the end, we have to turn left, then turn left, then turn left And turn left to get to Wat Pho. should have just turned right in the first place!!!

and oh, in between the journey, we were approached by some people that says WAt Pho are closed at that time and will be opened later at the day. yeah right, as if i will fall for the same trick again, fuck off!!!

Anyway, we arrived at Wat Pho and the entrance fee is 50Bht. nothing much as the main attraction is only the Sleeping Buddha.

Ok, pictures time!!!

the Face alone calms you, don’t you think so?

full shot of the Sleeping Buddha

even the toes are so intricate. the murals on the foot explains something, but i forgot what was it. go Google it.

left Wat Pho after that. Planned to go to Wat Arun that is located at the other side of the Chao Phraya river but we decided to skip it as we are a bit out of schedule at that time (3 hours wasted earlier). Plus, once you see the temples inside Grand Palace, nothing fascinates you anymore coz it was really GRAND!

but anyway, we did took a photo of Wat Arun.

looks a bit dull compared to Grand Palace

We decided to give Chinatown a miss too coz we are very very tired from all the walking for the last 3 days. and also not going back to the walls of Grand Palace to take night view of it (from the lights and all that).

I will definitely go to those place next time. and also the legendary Khao San road. but that will be next time too.

in the end we decided to go to shopping centres (MBK, Siam Paragon, Discovery Centre, Central World) for some shopping and walk around.

alas, it rained on that day! good. but wrong timing as we were rushing to go to my tailor to get further fitting at 5pm.

taking Tuk-tuks is not a good choice as they either charge you freaking expensve (plus no air-con and dust eating and also dangerous driving) or they charge you cheap but will will have to go to a lot of shops before you get to arrive to your destination.

got into a taxi instead as it was quite far and raining too. it was the greatest conversation i’ve ever got into with a taxi driver. talked various topics with him. from football, to politics, to travel, to girls to comparing our job and salary! tried to bargain with him in between the conversations too but i’m just trying for fun. 200Bht for to and fro our destinations (and waiting for us in between) is considered ok.

will never forget these legendary pink taxi

once the fitting was done, we were back to shopping malls and continued till night.

Photos were taken at Central World

What’s with all the balloons here?

yup. it’s the annual Balloon Festival

that’s me trying to make a grand entrance by attempting to burst the balloon with a key

Ended our night with a walk around Nana area (the place where Suk 11 is located), looking at the street peddlers and also prostitutes.

one more day, and our holiday will end soon though…

**Part 4 will be out soon!!!