The other night I took the bus. When I moved to Bangkok in 1996 I often took buses to various destinations around the city, but now that we have the Skytrain and the subway, it’s rare that I take the bus anywhere. But every once in while, at certain times of day, or in certain parts of town, it can be the most affordable and convenient option for getting around. On Friday I had exited the subway at the Petchburi station and planned on taking a motorcycle taxi the rest of the home, but it had been raining earlier in the evening and when I walked by the moto-taxi stand, there wasn’t a single one to be found. So I reluctantly took the bus, knowing that it was Friday night and traffic was bound to be horrific. But to my pleasant surprise, traffic wasn’t so bad, at least heading east on New Petchburi Road. Going the other way, towards town, the line of vehicles was predictably thick. I boarded a non-air conditioned bus (I find them more comfortable than the congested and more expensive AC models) and found a window seat where I had an unobstructed view of the passing street scene. Many people were eating meals at sidewalk food stalls, or on their way to local pubs. Less than ten minutes later I was hopping off at the bus stop across the street from my apartment complex. Another quick and satisfying Bangkok transportation experience.
In Thailand news this week: an Australian tourist was arrested for stealing a “bar mat” from an Aussie-owned bar in Phuket. The Bangkok Post reported this apparently major story for three straight days. In each and every article the paper referred to the stolen item as a “bar mat.” My first reaction was: What the hell is a bar mat? The report in the Post said that this “bar mat” had been found inside the female tourist’s hand bag, so obviously it couldn’t be a very large object. I realize we are dealing with Australians and their rather offbeat use of the English language, combined with the Thai habit of butchering English in their own unique way, but I found no enlightenment in any of the articles I read. Bar Mat? Is this something you wipe your feet on before entering the premises, or maybe a coaster to place your drink on? I’m not the sort of character that hangs in bars much these days, but I have done a bit of drinking in such establishments over the years and I’ve never heard of anything called a bar mat. I decided to do some research into this matter and found an online story from the Phuket Gazette that referred to the pilfered item as a “branded bar towel.” That’s better; at least I can now visualize it. Well, sort of. Now that we’ve determined that this is more of a towel than a mat, what exactly is this mysterious towel used for? To absorb spilled liquids from the bar counter? Perhaps to wipe the vomit off the chins of the drunken Aussies who fell off their stools? My curiosity remains unsatisfied. Show me the mat! By the way, the woman accused of stealing this coveted bar mat spent two nights in the Phuket jail before being released.
It was a shock to hear about the suicide of South Korea’s ex-President, Roh Moo-Hyun this week. But look on the bright side: maybe it will inspire the likes of Dick Cheney or George W. Bush to perform a similar act. I know; that’s a shockingly horrible suggestion. I should be ashamed. But I’m not! How else will we rid ourselves from these political vermin, particularly the menace that is Cheney. He’s long gone from of the White House, yet he keeps popping up in the media at every opportunity. Here’s hoping he soon slithers off into the infamy he so richly (and he can thank his ties to Halliburton for those riches!) deserves.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached the latest round of the NBA playoffs. I noticed they play their home games at some place called the Quicken Loans Arena. This might be the worst named sports venue in the US. In this era of corporate sponsorships, I suppose it’s inevitable that sports venues are getting tagged with tacky names like that. It was only a few short years ago that the Houston Astros baseball team played its games at Enron Field. Thankfully, that infamous name was changed. And I’m sure Manchester United can’t wait to rid themselves of those dreaded AIG jerseys. Perhaps Durex Condoms can be their new sponsor.
