Not even twenty-four hours and I love it here already. The people are so incredibly nice and friendly. There are motorcycles and scooters everywhere. The "taxi-meter's" are all bright pink, purple, orange, yellow and green. I like their style :) The temples are lavish and splendid; they sparkle with each reflection of light.
Thailand is the land of the free. They have never been colonized and proud of it. This is definitely something to be proud of. In Bangkok, The Democracy Monument is the pride of the city, large and in charge! The city is full of incredulous statues and ornate buildings which shimmer and dance in gold. Most of all, the Royal Family's Temple and Grande Palace on decadent display in the heart of downtown Bangkok.
As a tourist, with quite possibly a narrow perspective, it seems Thai people to have a fierce loyalty to their Royal Family. The King’s photograph is everywhere. They wear the once popular Livestrong style bracelets that say...Long Live the King (in English and Thai).
The King's Sister passed away January 2nd of this year [2008] and ten months later the "funeral pier" is finished and we happen to be in town during her funeral preparations. A massive palace that quite resembles a temple in all its glory and stature, so detailed and incredulous you can't imagine it burnt down. In honor of her death, the entire structure, that took more than 6 months to build, is to be set on fire with her body cremated alongside. This shows a certain magnitude of respect that Thai people possess for their King and the Royal Family. [Is this the true version of Thailand? In 2008, I was naïve to the cost of true freedom and did not have the desire to learn the ruling history of their great nation. I am grateful for my naivety to have preserved my innocence and passion for longer but If I were travelling there now in 2023, my desire to dig for the truth may have taken me to far more unexpected places.]
For those of you who don't know, our focus in Thailand, is not primarily Thai. Our 5-person team is filming a promotional video for a charity called Project Umbrella Burma founded by Canadians Dr. David and Cathy Downham. They share their passion for teaching and medicine with Karen refugees near the refugee camp on the border of Thailand and Burma (Myanmar) in the trade town of Mae Sot. The land of the free contrasted by the bordering land fighting through military dictatorship and the right to live in peace.
Once called the Golden Land, Burma is in the midst of civil conflict. Burma's ethnic societies, such as the Karen, continue to fight for freedom. There are nearly 150,000 refugees living in the border region between Burma and Thailand on the Moei River.Many refugees cross the Moei seeking medical care, safety, and a new life in Thailand.
How do you celebrate an end goal before too much life has passed by? Through a learned ability to harness your mind, body and spirit. If you habitually progress towards your goals and and are in tune with your health, odds are, you will celebrate achievements sooner than later.
As we go, we have been testing all the equipment and finalizing our pre-production queries, ideas and documents. The production team I am on includes 5 people. Bill, a lawyer and his daughter, my new friend, Jenny. The director, Donald, and his wife, an amazing Thai woman, Ung, who will be able to give us an authentic experience while we stay with her family and learn their customs. Just a bunch of Farangs, with an appetite for Thai food and beer.
Farang= white foreigner; not derogatory (apparently)
I am shocked by the immensity of Bangkok. It is so large. You can drive all day and still not be out of it. There are many tall buildings and neon lights seen from the highway that splits the core down the middle. The traffic and pollution are unbearable, it is incredibly packed. You think Toronto is bad? Try 10 million people, on foot, moped, car, truck, van, bus, bike, you name it!
We took a taxi to an open-air market that went for miles. For us, the prices are cheap at 30 Baht per 1 US dollar. A bottle of beer costs less than a dollar.
After shopping, we jumped in a Tuk-Tuk for a first-hand experience of the most exhilarating traffic adventure they call rush hour. I could reach out and touch the nearest motorcycle or car zooming in and out everywhere. It's a wonder there aren't more accidents, it really redefines the word "space," which you think there is none left of, until a motorcycle inches in to claim it.
To return to our hotel, we walked to the river and took a water taxi. It is a faster, less stressful, way to travel during rush hour.
On our way to dinner on the Chao Phaya River, Ung hands out ice-cold beer from the cooler. It is completely legal for all but the driver to drink and have open alcohol in the vehicle. In good spirits, the river cruise took us on a luxury tour of Bangkok floating past historic bridges, the Grand Palace and the Wat Arun Temple. The Wan Fah Restaurant on board was a delectable experience from appetizer to deliciously unchartered desserts and fruit. As the cool breeze swept in the warm night, the classical Thai dancers and musicians moved fluidly through their audience. Trained as young children to push their fingers backwards and make them perfectly stiff, transitioning from straight palms to peacock fingers. Here we are, not as gracefully, trying our hands at it.
Before returning to my room for the night, some observations and customs must be followed. Shoes must be taken off before entering as it is impolite not to do so. The feet are low and the head is high, therefore you must never point or move anything with your foot and you are never to touch an elder's head. You don't realize how much you use your feet for things until you cannot.
The dog stays in the garage along with all the shoes and stuff; the car sits on the road. There are dogs are all around and they look quite healthy, which is a welcome change from Zimbabwe where most were emaciated.
The washroom has no shower curtain or hot water. The whole room is the shower and there is a drainage system for the excess water. It's so hot here that a cool shower is welcome, and for some reason the water doesn't get TOO cold.
Buddhism is the main religion here, with most of the population (95%) practicing. In fact, my room is the Buddha Room with a shrine filled with plenty of statues, candles and pictures.
A Lesson in Thai:
I think that the greetings in different cultures are far more fascinating then Hi, how are you?
Sawasdee is a hard word to explain; You pronounce it Sawadee (no second S) but when you say the D you say it almost like a T but your tongue is up against your teeth like the beginning of the TH sound. Try it.
You accompany this respectful greeting with your hands clasped together in a prayer like manner and bow with your head bringing your hands up to your face. Younger people say this to older people first, then the elder reciprocate. If an elder were to go first, they would be stealing the youth of the younger.
Now, if you are a man, you end the word with Krap, that is a long A, not crap. If you are a woman, you use the suffix Ka.
So I would say, Sawasdee Ka, to a person who was older than me, out of respect. Of Kum Koon Ka for “Thank you.”
It’s pretty amazing, all the observations on human relationships, the economy, and the societal differences I’ve experienced. it's definitely something to take home and think about.
A thing I’ve noticed, in Bangkok, a least, is there are "entertainment" bars everywhere and even more women for hire. Many old men are seen with young companions at their side. The infamous red-light district houses a ping-pong bar on every corner and is a truly notorious place to find yourself any night of the week. As a by-product of this culture, a lot of older women chose never to marry to ward off the stress of polygamy.
Amongst young women there is also a growing trend to use whitening creams and makeups to change the pigment of their skin. Farer skin is marketed to be higher class and vice versa. This is backwards for me as a privileged North American, desperate for a tan.
The culture shock of this trip to Thailand could not have been more remarkably contrasted with my trip to Zimbabwe this year.
This opportunity allows me to be a part of a team with a larger budget and Thai connections, allowing us the luxuries of beyond delicious food and drink at every meal, king-sized beds in high-class hotels, personalized tourist experiences and documenting a worthy cause to round out our memories.
I have the experience of working with two different yet equal causes in both countries, set apart by completely different cultures, Thai vs African. As a Canadian, I am blessed by the perspective shift that these experiences have led to. A stepping out of my comfort zone where I have ultimately learned so much about myself, how fortunate I am and how much I desire to help others, even in some small way. To grow in empathy and understanding that all humans have the same tendencies and desires no matter our economical differences. Love is what matters most of all.
Our filmmaking adventure begins with an 8-hour drive to Mae Sot. The ride was very pleasant and peppered with tasty street food. We stopped on the side of the road for the best dessert I've ever had, a kind of cotton candy in string form wrapped inside a desert tortilla. At noon, we stopped at a rather huge bottle made of bottles.
At noon, we stopped at a rather huge bottle made of bottles.
Ung, our beautiful Thai companion, ordered a vegetable dish called buffalo horns because that's exactly what it looks like, spicy seafood, Singha beer and some fried mice (haven't tried those yet...maybe next time). It is customary to order many different dishes and eat family style around the table instead of each member choosing a particular dish like we do in Canada.
Before coming to Thailand, I was a rather picky eater
but I vowed to myself that I would try *almost* everything. I have been introduced to a whole new world of taste and flavour and will always credit Thailand for opening my gastronomic horizons.
We drove all the way up the mountains and finally reached the Moei River, and the bridge on the border between Burma and Thailand. Our first observation was that the river is incredibly filthy. There is a huge amount of garbage floating in the water and all over the river banks. The top of the bridge was heavily trafficked by cars and pedestrians so we parked underneath and set up to watch boys climbing the huge scaffolding structures made of rebar and jumping off into the water.
On the river, between the Thai bank and the Burmese bank, we discovered an alternative way to get to the other side. Inner Tube Taxis! At the edge of either bank, 5 or 6 people and all their belongings pile on to huge inner tubes. The "driver" kicks or paddles with his arms to the other side. It’s a short ride but there is quite a strong current and does not look like an easy task. The passengers get off the tube, walk up the bank and pay the "pimp" at the top. You can see the military has set up tents along the pathway but maybe they too are paid to look the other way.
After gaining some attention, we packed up our camera gear and set off for Mae Sot and our hotel. We talked production for a couple hours, ate another fabulous dinner and enjoyed great conversation in anticipation of our first shoot day at the monument that looks out over the entire city.
After breakfast, we travelled to the outskirts of Mae Sot to a restaurant on a hill where we filmed our opening and establishing shots. Then we sat down for a snack and a beer. I ate the best sesame pork I have ever tasted; the fried shrimp wasn’t bad either. No, not deep-fried shrimp covered in batter, but a shrimp in its entirety, with the shell and the eyes and the claws. I shuddered and then ate it... ok fine I didn't eat one with claws but I ate one just the same. It tasted good, but one was enough for me :)
With our belly’s full, we continued North to visit a Monk's village. The village was full of huts, temples and small
shrines. At the mouth of the village, we saw a huge staircase with dragons at the gate. The villagers invited us to ascend the rest of the way on foot, 400 stairs to the top. We made our way up to pass the top of a two-story high statue. About halfway, we encountered a platform that had an orange mosquito net, orange cloth, an orange mat and pillow and a few personal items that made us think someone was living there. There was a cave across from the platform that held a large buddha statue inside, and a smaller cave that continued to get smaller. After poking our heads around, we were surprised when a proper monk popped out of the cave. After appropriate greetings and explanations, he graciously led us up the rest of the way to a platform overlooking Burma, Thailand and the Moei River. Jutting out of the trees, we captured some of the most fantastic shots, high in the forest over a village in the mountains. The platform was decorated with alluring fabrics, sparkling gold and a brass gong. In this unique spot, we sat to admire the view, rest for our descent and took turns ringing the gong that helps the villagers tell time.
At dinner that night, we discussed our ethereal experience with the monk on the mountain and watched the interview we filmed. At some point, after a yummy meal and a few beers, we realized we hadn’t experienced a very popular pastime in Thailand… Karaoke. So, we began singing our own Karaoke right there at the dinner table, out came YouTube and some old Michael Jackson favourites.
High on life, we headed back down to the river to join in the annual Loi Krathong festival, the festival of lights or ‘float your boat’ festival. There were thousands of people out and about. Food stands and carnival rides, a beauty pageant and some really amazing, crafty parade floats. If you’ve got some goods and a loud mouth, as long as you have a table, you can start your own business here in a jiffy.
To make a float boat, you need banana leaves and flowers, a candle, incense and a couple of coins. As you push your banana boat out into the river you release your problems and troubles right along with it. We were having a hard time remembering if we even had any troubles. This long in Thailand and you definitely cannot remember the ones you have.
The next day, we met with the stars of the film and co-founders of Project Umbrella Burma, Dr. Dave and Kathy, at their home, a very nice place with a teak wood door and gold handles. The roof was all hand carved and intricately detailed. On the inside, we sat on "reclining Buddha" mats that fold out so you can lay on your side to face your companions. We walked together down the alleyway to get lunch at an Italian restaurant called "Casa Mia." It was a cozy place with the most Farangs we've seen our whole trip. I guess people like what they know. I ordered Pizza but wished I had ordered off the Thai menu, it just didn't compare.
Dave and Kathy took us to a school built for the Karen (Burmese) refugees. The kids and their families stay, eat, play, work and learn there. Kathy has given up her teaching position in Orillia to be the English teacher at the school, while Dr. Dave works at the Mae Tao Clinic founded by Dr. Cynthia Maung in Mae Sot.
Since 1989, Mae Tao Clinic has provided free and affordable health care for refugees, migrant workers, and other individuals who make the dangerous journey across the border from Burma to Thailand or who reside in Thailand.
Close by the school and clinic, is the official Karen Refugee Camp. It is so extensive; it runs for a least a couple of kilometres. The thatched roof homes, made high on stilts of wood, are packed tightly together all the way up the mountain. There is a daring cliff as the backdrop for the camp providing for some really excellent and interesting shots. Unable to film inside the Refugee Camp, we slowed down along the road for some guerilla style filming, we shot video of officials through the window, stopped on the road side to film the kids that got wind we were there and took off when we saw the officials approaching.
The team was very energized having just experienced the thrill of guerilla filmmaking, talking animatedly all throughout our drive home and dinner at the Poon Na Gunn Hotel. Another incredible meal topped off with, my new favourite, warm banana wrapped in sweet sticky rice packaged in a banana leaf. Replace the banana with Taro and you're still laughin'.
Our documentary continues at the Mae Tao Clinic the next day. We filmed in the Paediatric and Surgery Departments as well as many shots of Dr. Dave around the clinic. The place was very impressive. A whole ward dedicated to fabricating and fitting prosthetic limbs. There were many heartbreaking stories of suffering and oppression, but all were thankful for the care at Dr. Cynthia’s clinic and the support they received from Project Umbrella Burma. By the end of the day, we were able to yell "That's a Wrap," and it sort of was but really the filming never ends.
We went to lunch at the most beautiful restaurant I have ever been to. It was like eating lunch in the middle of the jungle. There was green all around us, many flowers, trees and plants. There were plenty of different waterfalls and lots of fish in the ponds. We saw a couple of Pelicans hanging around and took lots of pictures. We ate incredible food, I mean...I can't explain the taste of these meals. I know I keep trying and you're like...is she doing anything but eating? I am, but I am also eating a lot! The appetizers and main course were incredible... We had dumplings with black sesame seeds in ginger sauce. YUM. Fried banana with sesame seeds wrapped in banana leaves. YUM YUM. And then there was desert. deep-fried ice cream with banana. YUM YUM YUM. The desserts are out of this world. To wash it all down I got my own ‘young’ raw coconut cut open with a straw inserted. No sugar or anything added. Apparently, North Americans only get to taste older, riper coconuts, which aren’t as sweet. I might gain a million pounds but I never want to leave, if only for the food (among other reasons).
Since our filming is mostly complete, we travelled three hours to Chiang Mai and the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang, to learn about the ways of the Mahout. An inheritance from ancient times, the Mahout learns folk wisdom and makes a lifelong commitment to care for his elephant until retirement or death by Mahout or Elephant. The Mahout and Thai Elephant Development Education College has a public education program, basically a crash course on their way of life. The grounds are peaceful and calming. It is totally green and looks like a jungle. Well, I guess that’s because it is the jungle!
Why did we decide to do this particular tour? We learned about the conservation centre from our teammate, Ung, who knows the College and what it stands for. As the Asian Elephant is an endangered icon, their biggest threat is habitat loss. The loss of this elephant, means the loss of entire ecosystems as elephants play a key role in maintaining biodiversity. We decided our tourist dollars could be spent wisely here; funding that helps raise awareness and education while protecting wilderness areas.
After a long drive we were happy to enjoy takeout from the restaurant and rest up in our cozy cabins for the big day ahead. We stayed up to watch the funeral of the King's sister and managed to stay awake until after they lit the fire, but couldn’t stay up for the burning of the pier.
We woke up early, tried traditional Thai breakfast...rice soup, and got dressed in the traditional Mahout Suit to get started on our full day of training. First up, how to ride an elephant.
Neuk, my Mahout, taught us the commands in Thai and gave each of us a laminated cheat sheet to tuck in our pockets, in case we forgot...which we did. We practiced the commands and graduated to, my personal favorite, mount and dismount. The elephant bends down and puts his trunk on the ground so you can run and jump over his head straddling his body on either side, then you (slowly) turn around once he stands up and you’re in the air. On dismount, you slide down his body as he bows his head to the ground.
Riding around the camp on 49-year-old female elephant, Pang Wang Joew, I quickly realized I was at the mercy of her temper. A flick of the head and I’m falling 10 ft down to where the elephants trample. After the initial shock, it was a thrilling adventure to connect with this otherworldly animal and absorb her strength. As we walked and relaxed, I became deeply aware of how peaceful this giant was and knew no harm would come to me.
When the elephants got hungry, we walked off the path into the banana trees. Just the sheer movement of Pang ripping the leaves from the trees was terrifying. I was in the jungle on the back of an elephant! We hiked for close to an hour and took time to visit the Elephant hospital, the foot spa and the nursery. The babies were cute and animated and we came away with a sense of mutual love and care from the Mahouts and their companions.
After a delicious outdoor lunch, during which we watched the elephants take a bath, we followed the elephant parade to the show as the leader beat the drum. Each elephant followed in toe, grabbing the tail in front with their trunk.
During the show, the elephants and their Mahouts showed us many different carrying techniques they use for transporting logs. Did you know, elephants have amazing balance and can walk on a log with all four feet...can you imagine this? Reminds me of the iconic circus image of an elephant balancing all four feet on a ball. With help from their Mahouts, they painted beautiful pictures and together, played a song on hanging chimes with their trunks.
An afternoon tour of the Elephant Dung Paper Factory left us with beautiful high-quality and very sustainable stationary. Our team observed the bio-gas process and helped shift, dry and sand sheets of paper made from naturally fibrous elephant dung. This abundant waste product does not get wasted here! One elephant provides enough dung per day to make 115 sheets of paper. After washing, boiling, spinning and drying, the material is 100% bacteria free.
Then we hopped back on our elephants to take another dump. In the river that is! Pang took me into the water for a bath. I was dumped almost all the way under the water as she rocked back and forth, and I held on for dear life! Steering us back to camp, we received our certificates of course completion as we sat atop our Elephants. I’ll never forget the lessons I learned, the fun I had or the love I felt during my Thai Mahout training.
On our way back to Mae Sot, our plan to interview Dr. Cynthia at the Mae Tao Clinic was derailed when we were told the interview could no longer take place. The reason is uncertain, only speculation that this project brings light to Karen refugees and in nearby Burma (Myanmar) where this is not okay.
So, in keeping up with our trip’s success, we decided to head towards Bangkok and stay in the jungle on the River Kwae, Kanchanaburi for two nights. The cabin has a porch on the back that you could step right off into the water (not that you would want to, the current is so strong, and it's pretty dirty). It is literally a "floating room" on the River Kwae. The cabin sways and the sounds of water lap against the cabin all night long. It is so soothing. I’m sitting on a recliner, rested after my 60min Thai massage, giving thanks for this perfect day.
Dinner’s perfect ending was deep fried orchids.
I always thought that the ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’ was related to a romantic story since it elicits beautiful imagery but when I stood on that bridge and learned the history first hand, its beauty was juxtaposed by the horrific scars it left on the community. I’ve thought deeply about why my memories of hearing the name of the 1952 novel and later the 1957 epic war film adaptation are romanticized. What does it say about Americans and their love for war culture?
In reality, this long-span bridge and six others like it are connected to a 600-mile railway built and rebuilt by slaves in 1942-1945 when the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Burma in World War II. Designed by Japanese engineers to allow their army to travel between Bangkok, Thailand and Rangoon, Myanmar, avoiding a treacherous sea journey around the Malay peninsula.
To build the extensive railway system, Japanese soldiers forcibly drafted hundreds of thousands Southeast Asian civilians and transported thousands of Australian, American, Dutch and other European prisoners of war and completed it in record time.
"It gave me a great understanding of men. And a great appreciation of the ordinary things of life...And the value of human relations. You know, when it comes to the end, the only thing that really matters are the people whom you love and who love you."
- Dr. Kevin Fagan who served in 1943 as a doctor on the Burma-Thailand Railway, as a prisoner of war of the Japanese.
We took a solemn train ride to the "Death Railway," and learned the stories of some of the 200,000 people that were overworked (15–18-hour days), malnourished, diseased, tortured and forced to work on the railway. 90,000 people died in the brutal construction of the railway. Brave souls could only cling to hope of the war ending.
Construction being particularly difficult on the side of a mountain, this 415-kilometre stretch of railroad is called Death because of its proximity to the edge. If you lean too far out the train window, the fall is hundreds of feet into the river.
At the village stop, you can walk back down the railway (carefully) and tuck in behind a dark green and dripping cave. A shrine to Buddha and a place to sit silent and pay homage to all those affected.
As an American engineer said after viewing the project,
"What makes this an engineering feat is the totality of it, the accumulation of factors. The total length of miles, the total number of bridges – over 600, including six to eight long-span bridges – the total number of people who were involved (one-quarter of a million), the very short time in which they managed to accomplish it, and the extreme conditions they accomplished it under. They had very little transportation to get stuff to and from the workers, they had almost no medication, they couldn’t get food let alone materials, they had no tools to work with except for basic things like spades and hammers, and they worked in extremely difficult conditions – in the jungle with its heat and humidity. All of that makes this railway an extraordinary accomplishment."
- "The Bridges of the Thai Burma Railway". Public Broadcasting System. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
The Bridge over the River Kwae was bombed and damaged in 1945 by the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) compelling already exhausted men to repair the damage and have it up and running again in two months’ time. A second bombing raid damaged the bridge yet repair work commenced immediately. When the RAF came a third time, the railway bridge was so severely damaged it was out of commission for the remainder of the war.
At the Hellfire Pass Museum, we walked where the old railway ties and rock had been excavated by hand. This section of the line was the largest rock cutting on the railway. Being in a remote area, the workers lacked proper construction tools and were subject to harsh conditions. All for what? This portion of the railway never lasted and was bombed out of existence in the Burma Campaign.
The war cemetery across the road felt strange with many American names I recognized. Bell, Yates, Smith. The museum provides historical preservation and serves as a memorial to those who lost their lives. That we may be reminded of the mistakes of history, to do better.
After the British allies won the war, the surviving prisoners of war and construction gangs were given healthy food and nursed back to health. Only to turn around and be made to tear down certain railway links to protect British interests in Singapore.1 The Government of Thailand bought the Thai section, rebuilt it after the war damage and connected the Royal Thai Railway.
1. Tsukamoto, Kazuya (1 November 1981). "メクロンの永久橋-実録-戦場にかける橋-塚本和也-鉄道ファン1981年11月号". Google Docs p18.
Mentally exhausted from the day before us, we slept in and met at the river for a breakfast pontoon ride. it was a big wooden slab with a little kitchen and washroom. A long motor boat came along and attached the pontoon by ropes to pull us against the tide. The driver, a Thai cowboy with a hand rolled cigarette and plastic flip flops started up his 6-cylinder motor and steered us back and forth on the most delightful cruise yet.
While history goes on forever, all good trips must come to an end. At the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel in Bangkok, we soaked up our last couple of days at the swim up bar and hot sauna overlooking the Chao Paraya River, shopped at the night market, and ate dinner while Muay Thai fighters, in order to pay respect to their teachers, danced with movements and spears symbolizing prayer, protection and good luck. An act drawing strength from the primal well of Muay Thai knowledge.
Thailand is ageless and famous for its natural beauty. Rich in cultural resources, Thailand and its people have given me a great lesson in the importance of tradition and steadfast patience. Struck by the ancient city of Muang Sing (City of the Lion) with moats, ramparts and laterite walls, the layout and lasting architecture shows great pride and a desire for legacy in history. Beauty and art matter, but so does precision and discipline and love. Success cannot be achieved without 1) centering your breath, body, mind and spirit 2) sending gratitude to the creator of blessings and beauty 3) acknowledging the past to learn from bad mistakes 4) practicing discipline and hard work to achieve greatness.
Let us know in the comments: Have you been to Thailand, what were your observations?
Read More: Zimbabwe - Blog coming soon.
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