MattOwensRees
-
Today’s entry in the Beyond the Bamboo Curtain series strikes a different note from recent stories. I hope readers enjoy. Listen for the sounds of Thailand when you visit or stay here. Particularly in rural Thailand. The sounds tell stories that sights alone cannot. Have I missed any sounds out? Let me know in the…
-
When I had a problem with Chamnaan’s poor building work, I suggested what I thought was a reasonable price for the work completed and the cost of rectification. I agreed the figure with Chamnaan in front of the pooyaibaan, the village headman. You can’t complain publicly about a bad builder or his poor workmanship in…
-
Beyond the Bamboo Curtain. Today’s short true story of life in Thailand. There are many dogs on the rural roads of Thailand. Most Thais have dogs roaming in the garden or in the nearby soi (lane). They may be caged or chained at night. Only a few Thais treat their dogs as pets. They generally…
-
An example of Thai workmanship from the Beyond the Bamboo Curtain series. Had some builders around last week to build some gates to stop the dogs wandering off. They did a good job erecting the posts firmly in position and upright. The welding on the gate frames had been carefully done. Most Thai workers miss…
-
Thai houses typically feature steep, sloping roofs with large, protective overhangs and lofty ceilings. These generous overhangs give great shade from the glaring sun and help keep indoor temperatures pleasantly low. The sharply sloping roofs swiftly shed rainwater, often channeling it into water storage tanks. All houses include fans and mosquito nets; upper-class residences have…
-
An unusual post in the Behind the Bamboo Curtain series. From years of observation—and conversations with fellow anthropologists steeped in Thai society—I’ve come to a curious conclusion: Most Thais tend to think and act just one step ahead. Not two. Not three. Just one. That’s not to say strategic thinking is absent. I’m sure there are Thai…
-
Behind the Bamboo Curtain. Another true story in this series. Our soi is a tight squeeze — just a single narrow track — so we couldn’t get the car out once the police parked their vehicle outside our neighbour’s house. And you never ask armed cops, anywhere on earth, to move their car. They park…
-
You’ll see odd things sometimes Behind the Bamboo Curtain. You’ll notice businesses and government departments moving their employees around at short notice. The Thai élite are paranoid that their senior staff will find ways of cheating them. On the other hand, they can sometimes be very caring. Benjawan had been taking a lot of time…
-
Beyond the Bamboo Curtain How the owner of a Thai massage parlour is dealing with a police raid on her bar—and the arrest of some of the girls. (The image above is a stock photo, not related to this news item)(A massage shop owner in Prachuap Khiri Khan has accused police officers of raping one…
-
What do readers think of today’s episode of Behind the Bamboo Curtain. We’d all like to know your views in the comment box below. Today, Sunantaa told me that Kitaloo, her one year old puppy, had been killed in a road accident. He had escaped from their fenced garden. Unusually for a Thai, she was…