Robber’s Delight

You may live in a high floor Bangkok condo with tight security. Your main means of transport is the secure Skytrain and life around downtown Bangkok seems peaceful and safe. But watch out.

The city may look completely different when you live in a single house in one of the labyrinthesque green sois. We got robbed five times within three weeks. Despite utmost care. Yes, we got an alarm system.

There’s a lot of despair out here in current Bangkok. The maid saw him, a small burglar with a cap. Maybe a drug addict. Each time going for the cash in a wallet, a mobile phone or a laptop. It adds up. Yes, we’re stupid.

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May 28, 2009 | Filed Under Being Farang, Society | 18 Comments 

The Yellow-Green Party

Finally. What we doubters have all been longing for, will happen. Thailand’s political purists, standard bearers of their so-called new politics, will form an own party and dare to lower themselves into the lowlands of politics by going for political positions.

Thereby allowing themselves to retract earlier declarations of seeking no political position. “Slap my face with your shoes if one day I take any political position,” the yellows’ core leader and firebrand Sondhi Limthongkul once said. But founding the party is the fun part.

The PAD‘ political wing would be the first one in the world’s history of politics to sooner or later not become the victim of infighting and heresy. The human nature finally prevails in every human group, be it within the Vatican, in a volleyball club – or in politics. Hey, it’s just natural. Even more so in transient Thailand.

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May 25, 2009 | Filed Under On Our Own, Politics | 7 Comments 

Love Fish & Chips? An Old Classic

An old Bangkok classic that is. Sometimes the urge prevails and I need a real filler. Haven’t been there for ages. But there’s hardly a more authentic Fish & Chips shop in Bangkok than Offshore Fish & Chips near Soi Cowboy.

The décor is shabby – since how long again Offshore is there? Can’t recall, but for sure since my first Bangkok days. That’s how run down the place looks like. Nothing has ever changed. But you don’t worry too much about outwardness, do you.

Stuffy and grumpy, but it’s all about fish and chips. You’re in there for the chunky cod for 150 baht in a nice crisp batter and maybe the onion rings for a bargainy 35 baht. Hardly another chippy in Bangkok can match Offshore’s taste and price. Even though:

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May 21, 2009 | Filed Under Being Farang, Food & Drink, Truly Bangkok | 6 Comments 

Consumer Protection: Not Lost In Bangkok’s Probably Biggest Building

No kidding. That building is huge. The new home of Thailand’s Consumer Protection Board OCPB at Chaengwattana’s new Government Administrative Center up north. Kind of post-Soviet modernism. Massively impressive with its unending atrium.

The Election Commission’s in the same absolutely monstrous, still unfinished überbuilding. But my trade of the day was the Office of Consumer Protection, as I got screwed by a local farang insurance company. They play me. All I ask for is what I have in cold print.

The investigator there, a cute studentish lady with lovely John Lennon glasses, spoke very well English and the complaint was done within no time. If my case will be followed up is another story. Thailand & consumer protection a contradiction? I trust the bureau’s Labeling & Product Branch.

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May 19, 2009 | Filed Under Being Farang, Business & Economics, Just Do It! | 6 Comments 

So You Want To Run A Thai Film Festival?

You heard it. We were looking forward to the Phuket Film Festival under the directorate of Scott Rosenberg who was kind and willing enough to write this exclusive report for us. Scott cancelled the fest 15 minutes too early … And you think the title says it all? Sit back, relax and enjoy the back story. Here’s Scott, unplugged:

So you want to run a film festival? Or maybe just work for a film festival? You think it is a fun, glamorous job where you get to meet interesting, artistic, people from around the world, party hearty at luxurious food and beverage affairs and watch lots of great movies.

Forget it! The reality of the situation is a 24/7, sleepless job where you do get to watch lots of mostly boring/awful movies, deal with some really great but some really egotistical people that work in the film industries of the world and are so exhausted at the parties, you can’t eat or drink or have any fun.

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May 17, 2009 | Filed Under Being Farang, Books & Movies, Culture & Arts, Fashion & Style, The Thai Mind, Travel & Tourism | 3 Comments 

Brave New Thailand

Emailed a reader: “Did you see the proposed new prior permission required before each program is broadcast rules for all TV and radio programming in Thailand that were laid out today? Unbelievable …. if Thaksin had proposed anything near this, the PAD/yellow crowds would be in the streets.” Here’s the Bangkok Post’s editorial on the Unnecessary censorship. And the email goes on:

“I remember years ago in Burma wanting to send a fax and being told that I needed to take each page I wished to fax to the government ministry who would translate and review each proposed page to fax and either give me permission to fax each page at a certain date and time, or tell me to amend and redact certain words or sentences or not allow me to send the fax at all …”

“Does Thailand really wish to follow Burma’s example! This is a very sad day for Thailand and I am sure the international press coverage will be another nail in the positive image of Thailand that most of the world still carries around in their heads …” All I can say about the frustrating state of affairs of a Thailand moving in circles is this:

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May 15, 2009 | Filed Under Being Farang, Food & Drink, On Our Own, Politics, The Thai Mind | 3 Comments 

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