Impression Thailand: After 8 years
My preparations for attending the First NORTH EAST INDIA TRADE& INVESTMENT WEEK at Bangkok October 1-4 was very hectic. Piling workload, daughter’s ensuing half yearly examination, pressures of nuclear family living made it to the last hour. In the last minute I decided to go with just one pair of jeans, few essential garments and things, a laptop, a camera, and all packed into my laptop travel bag to fit it into the cabin to avoid luggage collect.
Luckily for me, although VOA (Visa On Arrival) is available at Bangkok, it was a wise decision to get the visa stamped beforehand at Delhi. The flight was uneventful except the noticed warning to few Indian fellow passengers by the Thai hostesses not to drink too much of the free stuff. There was some turbulence as we neared the coast of Myanmar. The landing was quick at the showcase ‘Suvarnabhumi International Airport’. The airport was a gift from the people of Thailand to their beloved king his Royal Highness Bhumibol Adulyadej (corruption of Sanskrit Bhumibol Atulya Tej) on attainment of his diamond jubilee of rule. He is the longest reigning royal in the world.
Plaque inside showing the King inaugurating the airport
A scene from the mythology
One of the six terminals
I was surprised to see the long waiting hours for VOA. It’s probably due to the Sunday holiday attack. I gave my friends company for some time and we were finally out of the customs green channel by 10 AM. As we cruised along towards the hotel, the emerging prosperous Thailand was unveiled. A new sky train line is being built to the airport. There is an elevated express toll road to avoid the nasty traffic jam of Bangkok. The skyline is clean and has a distinct Thai architecture, not haggard like our Indian cities. Roads are huge and clean. Being a Sunday, there was not much traffic on the road and we reached Hotel Ambassador at Soi (lane) 11, Sukhumvit, the place where all the delegates would be put up for the conference. The rates per room in the three star hotel is Baht (Thai currency) 1500. The currency is stronger than our Rupee (1$=Rs. 40.0=Baht 33.5).
I bought a prepaid international call card for 300 Bahts and a local calling card for 100 Bahts. One can buy a mobile for as low as 100 Baht and its OTC, no need of identity proof.
I checked in at the Youth Hostel at 25 Soi, Sukhumvit. The rate for single AC room, including breakfast was 800 bahts, which was booked through the Internet. It was at walking distance from the Hotel Ambassador at Soi 25.
I tried a ‘Tuk Tuk’ – Thai variety of Indian auto rickshaw. They are as notorious as our Dilliwala autos, worse here is; they don’t have meters. The guy knew English but was more interested to take me on a tour of Bangkok, than to my place of stay. They get 5 litres of gasoline from the shopping joints, jewellery boutiques for bringing the customers. Finally I took a taxi, which has a minimum fare of 35 Baht. All taxies are Toyota Corollas and AC.
I had a rendezvous with my orkutian friend Saptarshi Pathak at 1 PM. Saptarshi speaks near fluent Thai and is an MBA from a Thai University. His assignment was my reinitiation into Bangkok Shopping experience, I have to buy at least a business suit for wearing on the inaugural ceremony. He came at 1:30 and we both went out for lunch. The lunch was great, rice and a bowl of Thai curry for 290 Baht for two.
We took a taxi to MBK shopping mall, a huge shopping arena. There were people and shops everywhere. I bought goods worth 8000 B which included things ranging from a business suit (2200 B), a huge FRP 360 degree bag (2000 B), black shoe (990 B) and assortment of garments, electrical items, a yellow color golf cap with Royal Thai insignia to wear on Monday (the day of the king, when Thais wear the yellow color garments to show respect to the King).
Thai rural road
Thailand is booming, growing at 4.5-5%. Its infrastructure is great. Last year, the trade surplus was $5.5 Bn. It has a foreign exchange reserves of $ 74.4 Bn. If we superimpose on India’s population of 1.2 billion people, the figures become a trade surplus of $ 101.5 Bn and a foreign exchange reserves of $ 1.43 Trillion. Its quite prosperous, and has a per capita GDP of $3176 in 2006; compared to $ 2825 in 2005.
A temple by the roadside
Its other economic and social indicators are impressive as well. Life expectancy for male is 69.23 years, while for females 74 years. Population growth rate is 0.91%. The country enjoys a very high literacy rate at 96%. The population is mostly Buddhist. Muslims, mostly in the Malay Peninsula; consist of 4%, Christians 1%, others 1%. Population is united through the Thai language. There are about 30% Chinese origin people, but they too got integrated. The demographic assimilation is similar to Assam, through the language and eventually through intermarriage.
Riverside habitat
Saptarshi has been staying here for last 4 years. He is a young man of 25 years, moulding into the Thai culture. I asked him about the society. Thais are shy people, very humble. If two cars bang against each other, both the drivers will apologize, in Delhi they will bang their heads. Thais mostly eat outside and are prolific spenders. Its malls are full of own people as well. Sapratshi tells me that they hardly cook at home. They are also quite hard working people.
Large pots used for rain water harvesting. These houses can withstand floods as high as 11 feet. The boat is made of SS Steel.
From outside Bangkok is known for its sleazy nightlife. Population thriving on the sex trade is fully engaged there, I think that’s about 2% of the people. Thai massage, spas, home stay etc. attract millions of tourists every year and the tourism earnings are a huge portion of their GDP. In Phuket alone the earnings from tourism would be about $10 Bn as my friend Tharadol Thongruang, Counsellor (Commerce) at Delhi tells me.
A rich man’s house
I took a stroll in the evening in the locality. There are Thai massage bars, and sleazy joints abound. The taxi drivers approach as one walks along. They offer various night life packages, with sleazier pictures. If you say no, they don’t bother you. I think the oldest profession exists everywhere and the faithful will always find the avenue, be it in Guwahati or Delhi. In Bangkok, its institutionalized. The city is very safe. Saptarshi saw drunken girls walking alone at wee hours of the night; he also confided to me that he is yet to visit a massage parlour.
OTOP- village showroom
King is the centre to Thai lives. He is their father, demi-god. I saw many places where his photos and statues being worshipped. They wear yellow color dress to celebrate his day every Monday. Thais worship many Indian Gods too. I saw a ‘Siva’- half man half woman idol being worshipped near my hostel. Saptarshi told me that they worship ‘Brahma’- along the way he has shown me a place where hundred were visiting a way-side ‘Brahma’ temple. There was a balcony where some Thai girls were dancing. This particular idol was once vandalized by a drunken man a few year’s back and he was butchered by a mob, then and there.
Good old ‘Ganesha’ find favour for his connection with wealth
Statue of Brahma on a Thai street
Thais eat quite liberally from beef, pork to oysters. They also intake lot of green vegetable. Beef and meat are synonymous. For the religious minded, best bet is to go for chicken, sea fish dishes. Youth hostel offers American breakfast.
Thai food bazaar
First time in life I felt fortunate to have the ‘chinky’ look. In Delhi my whole family is sick of being mistaken either for a Nepali or something as remote as Singaporean. I have conveniently passed off for a Malay origin Thai. My colleagues Biswadeep, Nabaneet also shared this advantage. There are certain areas where local Thais are discouraged or have to pay little for. For example in the Siam Cultural Centre, ticket for tourist is 1500 Baht, but for Thais it is 2000 Baht.
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