Met a Filipino couple on the bus. I knew they were Filipino cos' they were speaking Tagalog. I knew it was Tagalog cos' I heard my Filipino friends spoke before.
They were sitting behind me. And just before they were about to alight, the guy asked me,"aRe you Filipino?"
"Nope, I am Lao."
"SoRRy!SoRRy! I thought you weRe Filipino. You look like Filipino...Have a nice holiday."
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
I almost got into trouble over cheap porn
I went to Chinatown yesterday. Nah I wasn't there to buy cheap porn CDs. I went there to take photos.
While I was happily snapping around, a guy stopped me.
A guy: Why are you taking photos?
Me: Just to keep for myself.
A guy: Just take! Show to the police! Let them catch us! You know, other sellers won't be very happy!I can't guarantee you something might happen to you. And please don't blame me for that. We're earning the living here!...
I did take photos of the place, but none of my photos shows any one of porn-VCD shops. I walked away and the guy was still mumbling.
The rest of the day, I just tried to stay in the crowd. Just in case, the guy sent someone to hurt me. You never know. Some say Thais are the most friendliest people on earth. But I say they are also easily provoked. When they are angry, they can do unthinkable things. It's pretty scary.
Lesson learnt: be sensitive when shooting photos. Ask if not sure.
FYI, at Chinatown, there is a small lane on Chareunkrung Road selling pirated VCDs and DVDs of all kinds of movies, from Chicken Little to Deep Throat. Sellers shout"Porn! Porn! This way! This way! Newest VCDs! Japanese, Farang, Thai...Cum! Cum!" They are not shy about it and not even trying to be a little bit subtle or discreet. If you have been to JB, you know how the sellers there try to sell porn VCDs. But here at Chinatown, the sellers just put the stuff on display on a walkway. Everywhere you turn, there porn VCDs! And 2 VCDs for B100. This is overwhelming!
Oh there are police patrolling around that area. I am sure they know what's happening on the street. The porn-selling guy shouldn't have been mad at me at all.
While I was happily snapping around, a guy stopped me.
A guy: Why are you taking photos?
Me: Just to keep for myself.
A guy: Just take! Show to the police! Let them catch us! You know, other sellers won't be very happy!I can't guarantee you something might happen to you. And please don't blame me for that. We're earning the living here!...
I did take photos of the place, but none of my photos shows any one of porn-VCD shops. I walked away and the guy was still mumbling.
The rest of the day, I just tried to stay in the crowd. Just in case, the guy sent someone to hurt me. You never know. Some say Thais are the most friendliest people on earth. But I say they are also easily provoked. When they are angry, they can do unthinkable things. It's pretty scary.
Lesson learnt: be sensitive when shooting photos. Ask if not sure.
FYI, at Chinatown, there is a small lane on Chareunkrung Road selling pirated VCDs and DVDs of all kinds of movies, from Chicken Little to Deep Throat. Sellers shout"Porn! Porn! This way! This way! Newest VCDs! Japanese, Farang, Thai...Cum! Cum!" They are not shy about it and not even trying to be a little bit subtle or discreet. If you have been to JB, you know how the sellers there try to sell porn VCDs. But here at Chinatown, the sellers just put the stuff on display on a walkway. Everywhere you turn, there porn VCDs! And 2 VCDs for B100. This is overwhelming!
Oh there are police patrolling around that area. I am sure they know what's happening on the street. The porn-selling guy shouldn't have been mad at me at all.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Swaddee Bangkok
I can speak Thai and I'm proud of it. So when I visit Thailand, I speak it whenever I have a chance, with Thai people, of course.
On Thai Airway
Thai Flight Attendant: What would you like to drink, sir?
Me:(try to impress) Kho Coke Krup(in Thai, let me have Coke)
TFA:Coke, is it?(English)
Me: Khob Khoun Krup(still try)
TFA: You're welcome.
At Khao San Road's street noodle stall
Me:(after finished eating) Thao Rai Krup?(in Thai, how much)
Thai lady:Four-ty Baht(English,You Thai?
Me: Phome Khone Thai Krup(Thai, I am Thai).
Thai lady: Ao Neuk Wa Khone Khamen(oh I thought you were Cambodian).
Oops.
Still on Khao San Road
I was looking for a place to stay and asking guesthouses around. All seemed to be fully booked. I am not sure if that was really a case. The guesthouses don't accept locals. They might just say the rooms were full because they thought I was Thai. So I tried to speak English. After my second try, I got a room.
Now at Khao San Road, I speak English first, then Thai, and follow by Lao. Hey there are lots of Lao people here. There happens to be one Lao at the guesthouse I am staying now.
Like me who like to show of that I can speak Thai, locals like to speak English whenever they have a chance.
How ironic, Thai try to speak English with me. While foreigners speak Thai with me. The bad news is foreigners also tend to ask for direction from me because they think I am a local.
Today I went to King Palace, one Farang asked me where the toilet was and thanked me in Thai later.
Being able to speak Thai and looking like one has an advantage here in Bangkok. Admission to King Palace for foreigners is 250B(about S$10 plus). It's free for Thai. And I can enter without fee. All I need to do is walking straight to "For Thai tourists" Gate. And if the guard asks me, I just say a word or two in Thai. Problem solved.
And local people won't chase after me and beg me to buy things from them. I think foreigners are annoyed by this practice. No one has ever tried to chase after me, except when I take pictures and they want to see what has been captured. Other than that, they just ignore me. I am like one of them.
I fall in love with this place already. I can switch my personas as I like, be it Farang, Thai,Lao-Isan(those who live in Northern East who speak the same language as Lao), Southern Thai(Thai people in South who look like Malay), Khamen(Cambodian), Lao.
Khob Khoun Very much!
On Thai Airway
Thai Flight Attendant: What would you like to drink, sir?
Me:(try to impress) Kho Coke Krup(in Thai, let me have Coke)
TFA:Coke, is it?(English)
Me: Khob Khoun Krup(still try)
TFA: You're welcome.
At Khao San Road's street noodle stall
Me:(after finished eating) Thao Rai Krup?(in Thai, how much)
Thai lady:Four-ty Baht(English,You Thai?
Me: Phome Khone Thai Krup(Thai, I am Thai).
Thai lady: Ao Neuk Wa Khone Khamen(oh I thought you were Cambodian).
Oops.
Still on Khao San Road
I was looking for a place to stay and asking guesthouses around. All seemed to be fully booked. I am not sure if that was really a case. The guesthouses don't accept locals. They might just say the rooms were full because they thought I was Thai. So I tried to speak English. After my second try, I got a room.
Now at Khao San Road, I speak English first, then Thai, and follow by Lao. Hey there are lots of Lao people here. There happens to be one Lao at the guesthouse I am staying now.
Like me who like to show of that I can speak Thai, locals like to speak English whenever they have a chance.
How ironic, Thai try to speak English with me. While foreigners speak Thai with me. The bad news is foreigners also tend to ask for direction from me because they think I am a local.
Today I went to King Palace, one Farang asked me where the toilet was and thanked me in Thai later.
Being able to speak Thai and looking like one has an advantage here in Bangkok. Admission to King Palace for foreigners is 250B(about S$10 plus). It's free for Thai. And I can enter without fee. All I need to do is walking straight to "For Thai tourists" Gate. And if the guard asks me, I just say a word or two in Thai. Problem solved.
And local people won't chase after me and beg me to buy things from them. I think foreigners are annoyed by this practice. No one has ever tried to chase after me, except when I take pictures and they want to see what has been captured. Other than that, they just ignore me. I am like one of them.
I fall in love with this place already. I can switch my personas as I like, be it Farang, Thai,Lao-Isan(those who live in Northern East who speak the same language as Lao), Southern Thai(Thai people in South who look like Malay), Khamen(Cambodian), Lao.
Khob Khoun Very much!
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Friday, December 09, 2005
I love you so much. I have to kill you.
"The greatest creation is the life you lead." From Tarnation
"If you can't cry, speak. If you can't speak, smile. If you can't smile, just keep quiet then." From A very Long Engagement
"When two people know each other too well, it's time they broke up." From Lan Yu
(Lisa to Matt in the kitchen) "Faster" From 9 Songs
"If you can't cry, speak. If you can't speak, smile. If you can't smile, just keep quiet then." From A very Long Engagement
"When two people know each other too well, it's time they broke up." From Lan Yu
(Lisa to Matt in the kitchen) "Faster" From 9 Songs
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