26 December 2008, Cultural Divides

Cultural Divides
Saturday 27 December 2008

Christmas for everyone is now over.

I hope that the holiday was satisfying for everyone. Our Christmas ended up being very different from what we had originally planned.

I decided to go to Bangkok to take care or some legal matters at the US Embassy. My appointment was set for 24 December at 08:45 AM. Rather than taking the overnight bus from Udonthani to Bangkok and arriving in Bangkok at 07:30 AM and then taking a cab to the Embassy, I decided to leave Udon on the morning before. That would give us Christmas Eve in Bangkok.

The hotel that we stay at is located one door down from the US Ambassador's residence and about two blocks fom the Embassy. It is very nice and through the Internet, we got a $160 a night serviced apartment for $62 a night including breakfast. The hotel is also located very close to a BTS Skyway station and is within walking distance to the Suan Lum Night Bazaar.
This blog is about cultural divides in addition it is about how Christmas is celebrated in a Buddhist country. Some of the differences started to show up on our December 23rd bus ride to Bangkok.

We left Udonthani at 08:00 aboard the Chantour's VIP bus. The cost aborad the VIP bus is about $13 USD each one way for the 8 hour trip including snacks. The VIP buses are a little more roomier than standard buses, are comfortable enough to sleep on, and most importantly - complete the trip 2 hours quicker than the standard bus. We now that to be true from painful and bitter experience! One time we took the first available bus - a standard bus. It was a mistake that will never be repeated. It seemed like the bus slowed down or stopped for any and all groups of people that happened to be standing along the road - a very long road.

As happened on a previous VIP bus trip to Bangkok, we had uniformed hostesses onboard. Their uniforms are a sort of 1960's retro airline stewardess ensemble complete with cap. What separates Thailand today from the airlines of 1960 or America is the fact that one of the "stewardesses" was a Katoehy (Lady Boy). Some Katoehys in Thailand are very attractive and in Pattaya there is a Beauty Pageant modeled after Miss Universe for Ladyboys. Our stewardess was more typical of American transvestites - she was not fooling anyone!

Many years ago on a BART train in the San Francisco Bay Area on an early Sunday morning, my family and me ended up sitting behind a couple of late Saturday night transvestite party goers. One of them was talking in a very affective and dramatic way. My son, who was five years old at the time, asked in a loud voice that everyone onboard could hear or at least we believed they could "Mommy. Mommy, I don't understand. HE looks like a man but talks like a woman". My wife was all embarrassed and said that he would understand later. I just laughed. I felt that if they couldn't fool a five year old they were the ones who could be embarrassed. Our stewardess despite her chic hot pink outfit was not fooling anyone.

Lady boys seem to be everywhere in Thailand. They have their own subculture. I have even seen them in the isolated farming villages such as Tahsang Village as well as in the metropolitan areas where you would expect to see them. I have not done a count but it appears to me that about 6% of Thai males are Lady Boys.

The lady Boy culture is very apparent. Many cosmetic counters are staffed with lady boys. Some Go-Go bars have Lady Boy dancers alongside the female dancers. Sometimes the only tip off as to who is who is the size of their breasts. Lady Boys have the bigger breasts! At Mahlam Lao shows there is always a contingent of Lady Boys up front strutting and dancing to the music. The Mahlam Lao shows always have comedy skits involving Lady Boys. The skits involving the Lady Boy characters are reminiscent of the old and now ill reputed minstrel or Amos and Andy shows in the USA. I would not go so far as to say that Lady Boys are universally accepted but they are definitely tolerated. It appears that the price for being tolerated is to be laughed at. The Lady Boys seem to relish the attention even if it is laughing and the attention seems to only encourage more outrageous behavior on their part. Our "stewardess" was not outrageous and was actually very professional although not attractive in the least bit.

After checking into our room we walked down to the Suan Lum Night Bazaar. The night bazaar is one of Bangkok's big tourist attractions. I have been there several times in the past three years. Typically I do not last long there because of the crowed narrow aisles. This time it was different - very different. There was hardly anyone there. I could not believe how few tourists there were. I had read that hotel vacancy rate for the Christmas Holiday is typically around 60 to 70%. This year the occupancy rate is around 30%. This is due to the Thai political unrest and world economic situation no doubt. There are some reports of tourism being down 50% this year.

After dinner and purchasing some DVDs, we went to the Lumphini Boxing Stadium to watch Muay Thai boxing matches. We walked up to the ticket counter and I showed my Thai driver's license. In Thailand there are usually two prices for things - a price for Thais, and a higher price for "falang" foreigners. There is a pervading attitude that foreigners are rich and will be only here for a short time there the Thais need to get as much of their money as possible. Some foreigners find this to be insulting and get upset about it. The truth of the matter is that in general we are not talking about a great deal of money from a foreigner's standpoint. Foreigners pay more (about $3.00 USD) than Thais to visit museums. However Thais make much less money than the visiting foreigners. Many Thais earn less than $200 a month. Even professional Thais such as engineers earn less than one-half of an American in Thailand. Sometimes showing my Thai driver's license gets me in for the Thai price. Many times Duang will buy things with me out of sight so that we get the Thai price.

The quoted price for the boxing matches was 2,000 Baht for me and 880 baht for Duang. After some discussion we walked away - not angry but not willing to take the deal they offered. Soon I heard them calling after us and walking up to us with a new deal - 1,600 baht for me and Duang for free. We took that deal.

Lumphini Boxing Stadium is one of the Meccas of Muay Thai boxing. The foreigners who pay 2,000 baht or 1,600 baht have ringside seats. We ended up in the third row from the ring. The Thais sit in the cheaper seats. At times the action is hot and heavy in the cheap seats.

Gambling is illegal in Thailand just like prostitution. However ... as a match goes on, the people in the cheap seats get extremely animated yelling. waving hands, looking foe each other in the crowd, sticking various numbers of fingers in the air, and making various nods of the head. After the match you can see money being exchanged. If I did not know that gambling was illegal, I would say that they were gambling. They could not have been gambling because it is illegal and the police who were watching it going on did nothing about it.

After the featured match, most of the foreigners left and returned to their tour buses. Duang and I at the invitation of the usher went up to the first row. The last match ended up being the best match not necessarily due to the skills or ferocity of the combatants but the theater surrounding the match.

Muay Thai is a young man's sport. You will not find a 40 year old Muay Thai boxer competing. The boxers start their careers around age 8, reach their prime around 19, and retire around 25 years old. The last match involved two fighters about 14 or 15 years old.

To our right was a section reserved for the Press. With this being Thailand and late in the event, the section was just about empty save for an elderly man who seemed to be a sponsor, a middle aged man who appeared to be the father of one of the fighters, and a little boy 2 to 2.5 years old that was definitely the younger brother of one of the fighters. This little guy in a plaid short sleeve shirt and long pants was woth the price of admission.

As the fight progressed the little boy was yelling to the fighter who was his brother and slapping the ring with his hands just like the trainer andother handlers to his right. The little boy was completely focused and involved in the match.

During the break between rounds when there is a flurry of activity in the fighter's corner, the little boy would go up to the ring corner and try to give his advise and instructions to the fighter. When he was ignored, he went to his father or another adult and told them what he wanted them to tell his brother. he was very determined and it was obvious that he was convinced that he knew what he was doing - very much Burgess Meredith's character in the "Rocky" movies only much younger as well as much better looking.

The bout consists of five rounds. The combination od fatigue, lower skill level, and wetness from previous matches created several "knockdowns". When his brother fell down three times, the little boy would get all excited. He would make a face of disbelief, yell "Meiow! Meiow! (No, No)", and wave his hands from side to side to communicate to the referee and judges that it was not a real "knockdown".

When his brother was doing well, the little guy would yell up to him advise on how to finish off his opponent. The little guy demonstrated, as only a two year old can, a flurry of left, right combinations finishing off with a right elbow. He did this innumeral times. Duang and I just watched and laughed. It was great and very entertaining. I decided to help the little boy out. I pantomimed a series of left right combinations punctuated with a right and left elbow combination to the little guy. He saw me and showed me his two year old's combinations with a single elbow. I repeated my combination with two elbows and indicated that his brother should do that. With a twinkle in his eye, and a broad smile, he repeated my combinations and finished it with a big thumbs up gesture. He then tried several times to communicate it to his brother.

His brother won the match. As they headed for the locker room and we were leaving the stadium, I shook the little boy's hand and told him that he did a very good job. It was a very entertaining night.

The next day, Christmas Eve, I went to the US Embassy to handle my business. It took all of seven minutes and cost $50 USD. I had two one paged forms that I needed to be notarized. Seven minutes and it cost fifty dollars - a pretty good business for the US government. As an American citizen living overseas, I would have expected that me taking an oath, having a minor clerk sign and stamp the documents for a total of seven minutes would be for free. I then had to have the documents translated into Thai and recorded with the Thai authorities. As I exited the US Embassy, I was approached by a young woman who asked if I needed something translated. I confirmed and she brought me to a local second floor office. The company translated documents and provided legal assistance. I knew that I had to take the translated documents to The Department of Consular Affairs. The Legalization Division required three days to review and stamp the documents. As we say "TIT (This Is Thailand). This company could get the documents returned in one day for additional "fee". The amount of additional "fee" was less than spending another minimum day or possible 4 days in Bangkok. I agreed and paid the additional fees. The completed documents were available as promised at 16:00 - money well spent. To me the interesting points are the business climate and opportunities available in Thailand. I have written about the freedom of Thais to set up sidewalk restaurants, set up booths or blankets to sell items, and the general encouragement of people's entrepreneurial talents. The use of touts on "Embassy Row" is a public service as well as creates jobs for people. I even appreciate the opportunity to obtain expedited services for additional "Fees". I did not have to accept it but I considered the opportunity to have value and chose it.

After completing my business, we went to a big shopping center in Siam Square. As we experienced throughout Bangkok on this trip, Christmas carols sung by little children filled the air. I never realized how irritating children singing could be! Luckily Christmas is only once a year.

The main purpose of going to this shopping center was to visit a spice shop. I had visited it before and knew that it had many things that I can not find in Udonthani. I have been very confused over the amount of spices and seasonings in our kitchen. I had bought several jars of spices in Vietnam and bought several more in the USA that I imported into Thailand. I have been unable to locate all of them. While in the spice shop I told Duang what I was looking for and why I was buying new ones - I could not find the old ones. Duang got a funny look over her face and apologized. When she had been setting up and cleaning the kitchen, she didn't understand the expiration date and had thrown them out. At least now I don't have to feel so guilty about having thrown away her pala (fermented fish) in September. I thought that it was some old rotting stuff and heaved it in the garbage. I didn't realize that it is the basis and foundation of Lao cuisine!

Christmas Eve evening we had a reunion with one of our friends. She had worked with me in Sriracha, got to know Duang and has always been supportive. She lives and works in Bangkok. Although she now claims to be a "City Girl" she has not forgotten her Isaan roots. She loves the pala that Duang's mother makes so Duang had a couple of containers to give her. We had her come up to our room to talk as well as to catch up on old and new news. Duang and she opened up the pala to appreciate it. Immediately the room was filled with the overpowering stench fermented fish. Smells have always affected me throughout my life. That night was no different. I started to feel queasy and headed to the bathroom. I fell to me knees before the toilet and heaved my guts into the bowl while my eyes filled with tears.

Duang and Prawnee after first overcoming their shock laughed like crazy. When I rejoined them, we opened up the door to the patio and continued our conversation on the patio. We then took a short walk and had dinner at a Chinese Restaurant.

Duang woke up Christmas morning to a surprise - Santa Claus had remembered her. He had come into the room during the night and filled her sock (small) and hung it over the TV since there was no fireplace. Part of the morning was spent explaining Santa Claus, Christmas, and Christmas gift giving. Interestingly the TV had some of the Christmas Eve Mass from the Vatican. Many parts of the ritual, such as chanting, incense, statues, and blessings are similar to Buddhist rituals so it made explanations easier to understand. An interesting Christmas morning memory.

We took public transit to the Shangri-La Hotel for sightseeing, and Christmas Brunch. Christmas is a mostly normal workday in Thailand. Western companies are closed but all the Thai companies remain open. Prior to Brunch we walked around the Bangrak Market. I found people that I had photographed two years ago - they remembered and wished us a Merry Christmas.

Brunch was along the banks of the river and was excellent. It was a special location and meal on a special day.

We returned to Udonthani the next day by bus - again with a Lady Boy hostess along with two or maybe three other Lady Boy passengers.

The holiday did not go as we originally planned but ended up being wonderful and memorable.

Cultural differences were identified, appreciated and bridged.