Bangkok Life

I have lived in Bangkok for about a month now. Which means I have been busy learning about and adjusting to life in the big city. In case you were wondering, Bangkok has a population of over 9 million, or 12 million including the metro area. Chiang Mai is less than 1 million. So it has been quite the transition. Bangkok is a bit strange because there is no true center of the city. Instead, it is very spread out with several distinct areas. My university, Thammasat (the second oldest in Thailand), is in the heart of the oldest part of the city. It is a mere 10 minutes walk from the Grand Palace and some of the most important temples in the city. There are around 30,000 students, although because I am in the Thai Studies program, my classes are only with other international students. We do have Thai professors, though, who are all extremely smart. I am taking four classes: Social and Economic Development in Thailand, Thai Politics, Thai Cuisine, and Thai Language. I must admit, it has been beyond painful to sit inside classrooms and listen to 3 hour lectures, but I am grateful to be learning even more about this country. The campus is right on the river, which means that in order to get to school everyday...I take a boat. It's really just a ferry that crosses directly to the other side, but it is always a fun part of the day, especially as it gets hotter and hotter outside. From the ferry, I live about a 15 minute walk away. I am in an apartment building with a ton of other international students which is great because all of my friends are here. The building is brand new and is definitely nicer than my place in Chiang Mai. It's simple, but it's big and bright and air-conditioned. The biggest bummer, in my opinion, is that not much is going on within walking distance of our building. Good thing I am becoming a pro at Bangkok public transportation.

I have almost, but not quite yet, taken all forms of transportation in Bangkok-- and there are many. Aside from the cross river ferries, which cost a whopping 3 baht (a dime), there are also boats with routes up and down the river. Those are really great, except when they are stuffed to the brim with tourists. You can also hire boats to take you down the many canals that meander through the city. On the roads, the city is filled with taxis in bright, goofy colors-- often pink. They may be expensive relative to other options here but by American standards, they are cheap. I rarely pay more than a couple of dollars. Cabs are abundant, convenient, and air-conditioned, with only one major downfall. Traffic. Traveling any significant distance during rush hour (which is more like 3 hours, twice daily) is basically torture, so I avoid that as much as possible. Tuk-tuks also function like taxis, although once you get over the novelty of them, you realize that they are loud, dirty, and have a knack for ripping off foreigners. I have been working on figuring out the buses, since I'm not sure which ones go where. Most are not air-conditioned, have wooden floors, and will pick people up without coming to a full stop. But I love them because they are cheap (20 cents) and convenient. Bangkok also has motorcycle taxis which I have yet to try. You can recognize them by the bright orange, numbered vests that the drivers wear. They are typically used for short trips or for navigating through thick traffic. And they are CRAZY. For motorcycles in general, it is not uncommon to find them driving on the wrong side of the road, or on the sidewalk, or between cars with only an inch of room to spare. And just because they have an innocent passenger on the back does not at all mean they will go easy. It truly is a test of courage. One excellent way to avoid traffic altogether is the Skytrain, or BTS. It's similar to Denver's lightrail or Chicago's El, and is very modern and nice. Plus, most trips are less than a dollar. The problem is, however, the lines are limited and there is no stop anywhere near my apartment or school. Bummer. The last component of public transit is the mysterious subway which supposedly exists but I have never even see and doesn't seem to go anywhere worthwhile. So as you can see, just getting around in this town often turns into quite the adventure.

Another characteristic trait about Bangkok is the food, or rather the incredible availability of food. You cannot walk two blocks without coming across an opportunity to buy food. Restaurants come in all shapes and sizes, but most commonly are small with a couple of tables and stools and serve only Thai food. But then, even more common are the street vendors. They are everywhere. Sometimes they form a sort of market, lining sidewalks with countless carts and leaving little room for all the people to squeeze by. Other times, there will simply be a random vendor or two occupying a random spot. One thing is for sure, it is impossible to go hungry. Especially considering the, again, absurdly low prices. They sell everything from fresh fruit to fruit shakes, from fried meats with sticky rice to every kind of meat on a stick, from nuts to roti, from noodles to rice dishes, from mystery no-crust white bread sandwiches to mystery gelatin sweets. And of course, there is fried anything-you-can-possibly-think-of including bananas, fish cakes, spring rolls, dough, squid, and plenty of other mystery treats. But what's so great is that, aside from a few outliers, streetfood is often the best and cheapest food you can find. Cheap, easy, authentic, and delicious-- does it get much better? And no, I have yet to get sick at all from the food.

Another interesting aspect of Bangkok is the current political situation. Apparently the next 60 days have the potential to bring about MAJOR change to Thailand. Then again, they could bring about nothing new. But it is quite tense around here none-the-less. There is a supreme court ruling due out on February 26th that will decide whether or not to confiscate some 2 billion US dollars of the former Prime Minister's, Thaksin's, assets. In the case of an unfavorable outcome, Thaksin's supporters are expected to stage one the largest protests ever (and that means BIG). There are a couple of other court rulings that carry alot of weight regarding current politics. Even more exciting, though, are some of the rumors floating around. Thailand is known for its coups, which seem to happen on a regular basis but are almost always peaceful and bloodless. The last successful coup was in 2006 and ousted the Prime Minister Thaksin. Well, there have been plenty of rumors lately about a coup against the current Prime Minister Abhisit. Apparently there was some top secret coup attempt just two weeks ago but it was unsuccessful and not publicized. This week, the head of the military is visiting the United States, leaving a different man in charge. A man who many believe would be the one to stage a coup if it were to happen. What makes this even more interesting is the status of the King, Rama IX. Thailand is a Constitutional Monarchy and the King remains a beloved and important part of Thai life. He is however, 83 years old and has been in the hospital for several months now. In the past, confirmation of a successful coup came from the King and whether or not the coup leaders were granted an audience with His Majesty. Currently, though, it does not seem as though King Rama IX is in a position to do this and no one is quite sure what that means. The exact state of the King is not known to the public. Furthermore, as a matter of culture, Thais do not generally think or talk about the future of the King, who has ruled for over 60 years. Essentially, they go about believing he will live forever. So no one is prepared for life without Rama IX. Replying to the question, "what do you think will happen to the Thai political situation if the King were to pass away?" a guest lecturer in my Thai politics class and former deputy Prime Minister said with a straight face, "All hell will break loose".

So it is an exciting time to be in Thailand, especially in Bangkok. And of course the city also offers lots to do. I've been trying to get out and explore when I'm not in school. Last Friday I spent the afternoon in China town, which isn't far from campus. We just walked around, among the stores selling mounds of plastic stuff and restaurants selling sharkfin soup. There is also a GIANT flower market on the edge of China town where you can find a dozen roses for a dollar. Seriously. I've visited some of the local temples which act like oases in a sea of otherwise ugly and poorly designed concrete monsters. I also went with some friends to spend a day at a private cooking school where we shopped at a local market and then learned how to make 5 traditional Thai dishes all from scratch. We made: Chicken galangal coconut soup, chicken with cashew nut stir-fry, spicy glass noodle salad, red curry with chicken, and fried fish cakes. It was all delicious (okay, except the fish cakes) and easy and quick to make. And the shopping opportunities are endless here. You can go to some of the most high-class malls with all of the biggest designer names, or you can go to the weekend market which is an crowded tangle of outdoor stalls selling everything you could possibly imagine and would take you about a month to look through everything. The same goes for the nightlife. You can go to expensive, upscale clubs with dress codes or you can find small local joints as well as everything in between.

So that's kindof what I've been up to in the city. There's alot to do, so hopefully I'll stay busy exploring it all. But I also appreciate all of the precious opportunities to get out of the pollution and traffic. Which I will update you on very soon...