After returning from my multi-week trip to Myanmar I’m slowly getting back into my regular Bangkok routines. I spent the first week in a very lethargic mode; working every day but getting no exercise at all. I shook off the cobwebs earlier this week and took several long walks around my neighborhood, and also engaged in a few late night living room dance sessions (that Postal Service CD gets my jumping every time). I also resumed my language studies. But instead of continuing my Burmese lessons I’ve decided to put that aside for a few weeks and brush up on my Khmer. I’ll be making a short trip (only 3 days) to Cambodia next month, thus motivating me to hit the books – and the language tapes. When I lived in Cambodia I was speaking fairly decent Khmer, but I left that country three years ago and my language skills have gotten pretty rusty in the interim.

Since the bombings last month in Bangkok there has been an increase in security and bag checks at local shopping centers. Most places have a table set up near the entrances where a guard will wave their magic wand over your bag. Once in a while they will even make a quick inspection of your bag. But I’ve noticed that many customers are ignoring these tables/stations altogether, just walking right past the security personnel. And the wand-wielding folks don’t seem fazed at all. They certainly aren’t going out of their way to stop anybody. Is this another example of Thailand’s famous “mai pen rai” attitude?

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently appointed a new governor, but their lame website has yet to see any changes. With recent news coverage about the many problems at Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi International Airport, you would think TAT wouldn’t be so eager to publicize this aviation embarrassment. Just this morning I was reading CNN online and this was one headline: “Bangkok Airport Officially Unsafe.” But look at the TAT home page (http://www.tourismthailand.org) and they are still touting the airport opening under their “Grand Events” column. What? No mention of roof leaks, cracks in the runway or inadequate toilet facilities? Mai pen rai, baby!

My Thai friend Ice is a big Clash fan. And I’m not taking about THE Clash, the famous UK band of the late 70s and early 80s. This Clash is a Thai band with about five albums under their belt. They aren’t among my favorite Thai bands, but they do have their fair share of good songs. Their newest album is called Crashing and has the typically jarring mix of sweet ballads and loud rockers that most acts on Thai bands like to play – or are told to play. It’s hard to say how much originality is allowed by the labels. So much of the Thai pop and rock music found on major labels sticks to the same tired formula. But one song that did catch my ear on the new Clash album is Yim Khao Wai. It’s an upbeat tune with a catchy chorus that will hook you quicker than lightning.

At the bookshop where I work we see a steady stream of people dropping by to ask questions. Usually these are tourists looking for directions or information of some sort. They’ll ask for directions to the nearest subway station, how to find a certain hotel, where they the night market is located, and things like that. But yesterday one man threw us a real head-turner:
“I’m looking for a shop that sells inflatable things.”