The life of the half Thai (Luk keung)

My son Dylan is fourteen months old in a couple of days. He's at that stage where a new skill is being found everyday. Climbing, building blocks, you name it. One thing that I have noticed is his baby speech. Most Thai babies at this age already showing signs of babbling in the up and down pitch of the Thai language, Dylan however mixes the pitches with the rambling sounds of the English accent.

I know what you're thinking: "Over enthusiastic dad" , I thought so too but several other people have noticed his speech patterns. I'm hoping Dylan has taken the first tentative step towards becoming a bi-lingual luk keung.

Dylan is actually half English, quarter Chinese and quarter Thai, but for all cultural intents and purposes he is a luk keung.

"Luk Keung" literally translated means "child half" , since Thais put the noun before the adjective. That may sound less than equalitarian but it's simply a Thai trait. Thais will say what they see. I'm "farang lek " ("small foreigner") and others will be "ouan" ("fat") and so on. The idea behind such blunt phrases is to put people at ease, not leaving them to wonder what they think of you.

Despite the tag, luk keungs have an enviable position amongst Thai society. With a combination of white skin (considered attractive) , bi - lingual abilities and, usually a reasonably well off family, the half Thais are often a privileged bunch. Such qualities have put many of them into show business, often in TV shows or in the music industry like the half American, half Thai Tata Young.

Not all are so privileged of course. A second school of popular thought says that many other luk keungs are less fortunate. The idea being that many foreign men impregnate woman and then run out. Whilst many people propagate this idea, in my four years here I've only known two sure cases of this happening. Still the fact remains that multitudinous luk keungs are indeed just "typical" kids rather than the social elite.

As world travel and international marriages increase, the number of luk keungs has risen. Alongside the increasing numbers, a taxing problem seems to be arising. Ex-pat forums and discussion sites have a slew of concerned parents expressing alarm at their luk keung child's behaviour. The popular line of distress seems to be that the constant adoration and attention inside and outside school is negatively affecting the young luk keung psyche. Boys in particular seem to be developing signs of arrogance and unruly behaviour from a very tender age. My favourite report was from one parent who stated "People swarm him [my son] all the time. Just last week one guy told him he was the most handsome kid he had ever seen and literally gave him the sunglasses off his face".

Different parents are lining up different solutions to the problem. One colleague of mine plans to take his son to school in Australia for four years since "Aussies don't let the trees grow too tall". Other parents simply enforce stronger discipline at home, others still seem content to let it ride and hope the child will grow out of it.

I must confess I don't have my game plan ready yet. I do believe though that a father's influence can greatly affect a child's attitude to others. And while others may be looking for their white skinned child to be a model or TV star, I have my own rosy eyed dream for Dylan. I'd like him to follow in the footsteps of Mechai Viravaidya.

Mechai was born in 1941, the son of a Scottish mother and Thai father in an era before interracial marriages were so popular. He recalls that at the age of seven he was on a shopping trip with his mum when she went to help an elderly lady cross the street. His mum told him: "If people with education and wealth don't help the poor, who will?". Meechai went to study in Australia where he learned "....to be humble. If you think you're important in Thailand, you're nobody there."

Meechai returned to found the Cabbages and Condoms chain as part of his highly successful project to reduce AIDS and increase education on sexual diseases. He also became a senator and told the press ".......corruption is now airborne like dust. The senate should be impartial but only about twenty five percent are. We're wasting the people's time".

Undoubtedly Meechai has faced discrimination in his work. The Thais are a fiercely partisan bunch and some of the lesser educated parts of society are suggestible to any "He's not even a real Thai!" propaganda from a rival politician.

Yeh I know, it's easy to be romantic about your child when they're still in nappies. But hey, that's my right as a dad and I do believe that with the right moral values, Dylan can eventually become a philanthropist and however difficult and thankless it may seem, take a stand against the greed, patronage, embezzlement and selfish behaviour of some of the people running such a wonderful country.

Either that or play up front for Southampton FC anyway.

The big bad tests

The last two days have been the closest to work I've been since I moved here about four years ago. I've just completed the first set of tests since I started at my new school.

Thailand is big on testing. Really big. Three year olds get tested on English, nine year olds get tested on Geography and "Social".and teenagers get tested in some form almost every week. I'll never forget the day my favourite class turned up forty minutes late for a fifty minute lesson announcing "We had a ping pong test!".

There are many theories on why the system seems so keen to test eight year olds for up to five times a year but no definite answer can be given.

It doesn't seem to aid progress. On the contrary, it's a hindrance since it drains the teachers' time to prepare and teach. It's no marker for a student's development either. If little Praew could speak fluent English a month ago, and little Somchai couldn't say a word, its unlikely their roles have reversed in the last four weeks and if they had, you'd be damn sure their parents or teachers had noticed.

It seems likely the testing is just an outmoded umbrage of the (literally) old school education system. A system that required constant imposition of authority and lack of genuine teaching.

Anyway, back to my story. Testing at my old school was largely left to me, I'd test and log the scores and hand them in. In my new school - a private bilingual affair - things are done differently, as I just fond out. Although my new school is a huge improvement over most government schools, it still conducts business in the Thai way. This means that very little information is given to the teachers in advance. Myself and the other new teachers had no advance warning of tests or test procedures. We simply turned up to work to be told to vigilate the exams. That we did.

As I was leaving the exam room - thinking to myself what a doddle the day had been - I was greeted with a pile of paperwork. Inquiries revealed that this was the first part of the marking process. after several hours I had finished, and presented the work to one my bosses.

" Oh no, you aren't meant to make the student profiles yet, some scores are missing".


OK , back to my desk to fill out forty student profiles for the second time. Back to the boss.

"Oh no, you've done them in the wrong order"

"I wasn't aware there was an order"

"Yes I'll show you what it is"



It did have a positive side effect though. It reminded me how much more pleasant it is to work out here in Thailand. Usually, teaching is a fun job, I'm proud to teach and I love what I do (except for the last two days).

Some of the other new teachers were becoming stressed over the lack of communication. Readers of my old blog will know that I used to be just the same. But things are nowhere near as bad in my new school, indeed itl is very good at working with foreign teachers and I've wised up a little too. The Thais have their own way of doing things, it can seem strange to us but it doesn't hep to get angry and shout about it. For now at least, I'm happy to keep my head down and enjoy being welcome at work.

They better not ask me to wear any fluffy bunny shirts, though.

The ex-pat community

Keeping grip on reality - the expat community

Have you seen the movie: "The Quiet American" featuring Michael Caine? If not, I recommend it. If you have, you'll have some idea of the reality withdrawal expats can face: many a truth is told in fiction.


Thailand's ex-pats are a mixed bunch. I've met some unbelievable characters over here, many behave in a way that would get them killed or arrested back home. I've touched many times on the fact that Thailand invites delusion. With so many pretty girls looking for the right foreign guy to take care of them, the sun, the cheap booze and the beautiful ladies are always going to bring certain types of guys over. It's no coincidence that the vast majority of ex-pats are males. Most of them walking with a female far prettier and more pleasant than they could find in their own country. Nothing is wrong with that of course, but the problem is that many of these males - often the fattest and most obnoxious ones - believe their own illusions and convince themselves they have become super studs by crossing a time zone.

Many a time I've shamefully buried my face in my hands as a fat, middle aged teacher announces his sexual exploits in front of all male and female teachers in the classroom. I often wonder what locals make of such decorum. On occasion, I have known foreign teachers actually get assaulted by local guys for their behaviour.

Like I said, delusion runs rampant. Some characters seem to dislike labelling themselves as a teacher, they always want to be something so much more. In the last two years I've met a bandana wearing American "lawyer" who got sacked from three schools in two months, I've met a Nazi who greets everyone with a "zeig hail" (sacked from a certain school) and ....wait.........a member of the Black Panthers! I kid you not.

For me, I'm happy to be a humble teacher. I have no insecurities.



Still, look around more and you'll find a good bunch around. I'm grateful to Dan, Karl, Brian and my other buddies out in Asia. Even on adventures, you need your friends to keep you sane. Larger schools especially have a large group of happy workers. Thailand is attracting more and more young teachers with a positive outlook and sensible older guys. With increasing demand for English , the teacher community is building a semi respectable base.




**********************************************
A Mekong jewel

It might not be the biggest or most obvious benefit to living out here but make no mistake: Thai markets - and Asian markets in general are fantastic. All towns and villages have something to offer. Most markets will feature the standards fare such as Thai food, cheap clothes and fresh produce. Most markets will also have something extra, that could be anything from weapons to kid's toys.

Thai markets are a fantastic place to get a true, untouristed clip of local culture. Sit at one of the many makeshift road restaurants and watch. Watch the locals - usually a family unit - working hard to keep their stall. Listen to the buyer and seller haggling over price. watch the delivery guys come and deliver the livestock. These are priceless insights into daily life that you won't get from a guided tour (the floating market is now so touristed it really isn't a true market). Finally, get up and try a little Thai yourself as you haggle for what you want. You'll still pay more than a Thai, but getting a discount will make you feel good :-)

Things you'll miss

I've decided to enter a world wide essay contest. The topic is “bribes” and the first prize is 10,000 dollars. I won't win, of course. The winner will be some academic or journalist somewhere. But in true sporting spirit I'm not so concerned about winning as simply rising to the challenge and writing a respectable essay.

Anyway, in my quest for background research I traveled downtown and checkout the Chulalongkorn University Bookstore, the top (only?) bookstore in Thailand for academic books in English. The choice is far from ideal. Indeed, Thailand itself is short on English language books. Asia Books is a well known bookstore that offers good but limited choice. Amazon.com will not send to Thailand.

Yes, one of the sacrifices of moving here is your choice of reading material will be narrowed.


What else will you miss? Family and friends is a given of course but a few surprises might also be thrown up. Food. Thai food is great, and western choices of high fat meals are ubiquitous. KFC , Pizza Hut and Dairy Queen are abundant. Still, I miss my chili sauce covered kebab on a Friday night and my cornflakes covered in fresh milk (real milk) that are unavailable here. It might not be high on your priority list, but the longer you stay here, the more food will play on your mind.

TV. There is a good range of satellite TV here to give your dose of sport and movies. Still, there’s most likely something you can’t see, and you’ll wonder what you missed.

Your way of doing things. Yep, Thais have different ways of dealing with problems, arguments, confrontations and solving situations. After the forth time your neighbour smiles and promises to stop blasting music through his open window at five am, only to treat you to a dawn awakening of “Hotel California” (or worse) the next day, you’ll be begging for someone to argue with you in the good old fashioned western way.

These topics , I’ll examine in more detail in future. For now though, take heart. Moving here involves sacrifices, but plenty of benefits too. Watch this space.

Starting over

OK , I've finally found the answer. This page is lacking the personal touch. Let me start again:

I'm Greg. About five years ago, I was sitting at work in my hometown of Southampton, England when a female colleague (whom I was secretly in love with) told the boss she was leaving to travel Asia. Although I never got round to telling the girl in question how I felt, though I think she sensed it (and even if she didn't , she'll read it on here so now she knows :-) ) she did inspire me to do the same.

So I sold my home, packed up and travelled Asia. I was warned off a girl by a triad group in Hong Kong , I absailled down cliff sides in Vietnam, I kissed a girl as the sun set on a waterfall in a national park , I had my taxi blocked by an elephant in Thailand and I bribed an immigration officer in Laos.

At the end of it all, Thailand was my first love, so I came back to live.

That was about four years ago. Now, I work as a teacher in Nonthaburi. I am married and I have one son. Like most people I gave one hundred reasons for moving to Thailand, but the real underlying reason was a female. Like most people, I really believed that I was something special by moving here.

Now I've got some experience under my belt, and I want to use it.

I wrote a blog that was getting a fair few hits each day and comments and questions from visitors. In rash moment, I deleted the whole blog.

Now I'm aiming to make this blog as decent as the old one.
Politics does creep in to my writings sometimes. Forgive me for that. From now on I'll try to keep politics on my separate blog.


So this blog is on what Thailand is really like. It's not all raucous nightlife, shocking drug scams or subservient woman. But it does have a whole lot of beauty, a whole lot of quirks and a lot to blog about.

So welcome. If you are interested in Thailand and you wonder what it's really like to live here for longer than the six month novelty period, feel; free to read and ask any questions.


**************

The bomb aftermath

Fingers continue to point, but the reality is that the authorities are no closer to finding the culprits for the new year bombings. Thai TV stations are showing farangs (foreigners) describing their concerns at the continued number of bomb threats (about twenty a day) and visible police and army units.

The reality is this: what happened to the bomb victims was tragic, and my heart goes out to them. However, the total number of casualties was three. During the Christmas and new year period, more than one thousand people died on the roads. The roads of Thailand are dangerous. The fact that the bombs naturally garnered more media attention makes the threat seem greater. Don't be put off coming to Thailand because of this.

The world sings, Bangkok weeps.

The news spread so quickly in the era of the global village. Within minutes of the events people were texting me asking questions. I wasn't able to tell them much they didn't already know though, given the nature of the events and the authorities dealing with them. Bangkok was in a state of confusion.

Now things are a little clearer. In the build up to midnight on December 31st a series of bombs exploded within minutes of each other. The bombs were strategically placed to maximise both their profile and number of potential victims. The first explosion was at Victory Monument - not only an important symbol for Bangkok but also a central transport hub - this was followed by an explosion at the large urban area known as Klong Toey. This explosion was planted in a spirit house, which would be a major superstitious deterrent for almost any Thai. Undoubtedly the most important blow for the attackers was the explosion outside Central World Trade, the department store that acts as the focus for the annual new year's party.

News reporters struggled to keep up with the whirlwind of events though, unbelievably, some channels continued with their normal programme schedule. As reports of the first death came in and causalities increased, Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayothin stepped up at Central World Trade to cancel the party. Some revellers continued, apparently unknowing or uncaring that several foreigners and two Thais had been seriously hurt by an explosion from within a phone booth. A bomb at a seafood restaurant nearby also cause major injuries.

Although heavy on military protocol and southern insurgency, the majority of Thais - unlike the British - do not have the misfortune to be familiar with terrorist assaults. Panic ensued. Stores closed, police swarmed the city ( a highly dubious form of 'protection' ) , embassies issued knee jerk "warnings" to prospective visitors. It was all high on fear. The next day many Thais stayed at home, fearing to step into their high street.

But as relative calm ensued, facts came in and the police - aware of the international attention - did their best to look like they had competent investigations underway, the Thai newspapers printed their usual grizzly selection of bloody photos - a morbid yet intriguing insight into the Thai psyche - the TV channels began idle chat shows discussing everything and concluding nothing about the events, government worker Porntip Rojanasunant - a forensics expert treated almost as a celebrity due to her unusual appearance and forward thinking attitude - appeared at the bomb sites. The inevitable aftermath began.


Who was responsible for the attacks?

By all intelligence reports, expert and amateur anlaysis and reasoned ( as is possible for such a tragedy) argument , there are two suspects. However, there are factors pointing two and against both groups:


The southern Muslim insurgents.

This was my first conclusion. The issue of southern insurgency in Thailand is something I've been meaning to write about for some time, but it's a complicated issue. In short, Thailand took some land from Malaysia in the eighteenth century. Since then, ideological militancy has been omnipresent in the region, including a string of bomb attacks on Bangkok in 1980. After 9/11, militancy and terrorist attacks in the region soared, spurred on by gross mismanagement and insensitivity from the Thaksin government., most notably in the notorious Tak Bai incident. Like most Muslim militant groups, the southern separatists seem to have no problem mixing their religious goals with inhuman violence. Monks and teachers have been prime targets of random attacks, and on one occasion a group of one hundred villagers kidnapped two female teachers and beat them into a coma in response to a police arrest of one villager. The teachers were simply chosen at random. PM Surayud has gone to great lengths to heal hurt within the region, however attacks have continued.

There are several points that could suggest southern insurgency involvement in the attacks:

• 1) Simply put, these are people who like to hurt and kill innocents and enjoy violence.
• 2) Intelligence reports had warned of planned attacks by this group.
• 3) Similar attacks in 1980.
• 4) No denial has been issued by any insurgent leaders.

However, there are also points against them:

• 1) It's uncharacteristic. Since the escalation of violence in the south post 9/11, all attacks have been within the southern provinces. Despite vague threats in the past, there have been no attacks in Bangkok or else since 1980.
• 2) Simply put, the southerners are fish out of water in Bangkok. The sprawling metropolis is very different to the sleepy Muslim villages that have raised most of the twisted insurgents. Although Thais have little faith in their security forces, it's unlikely so many ,militant movements by the insurgents could have occurred without some prior warning or capture.
• 3) After forty eight hours of police posing, forensic expert (non police employed) Porntip Rojanasunant has confirmed that the explosives used were different to those normally used by the militants.
• 4) Evidence to an inside job. See below.

Politicians

The other finger of suspicion points to what the government and army call "undercurrents". By this, they mean Thaksin Shinwatra, the ousted PM, his cronies, his family, and the many, many well connected figures that are in his service due to their greed and corruption. Since the September coup, many schools in the north east of Thailand - Thaksin's stronghold - have been hit by arson attacks. A campaign to discredit new PM Surayad was undertaken, and various other clandestine movements have been in action. These have been relatively well quashed by the Junta.

Evidence for the "undercurrents" is as follows:

• 1) Evidence of inside work. PM Surayud , General Sondhi and Thailand's police chief have suggested that the attacks seemed pre meditated.The attacks at a police box Samphan Kwai should have been captured on CCTV , however the camera was inexplicably cut before the attack. Undisclosed details of other evidence for an inside attacks is held by authorities.

• 2) As mentioned, the weaponry used was dissimilar to that used by insurgents and included army issue explosives.
• 3) Organisation. Most insurgent attacks have been messy, brutal and spontaneous. The attacks in Bangkok were well sequenced.

There are also points against the case for "undercurrents"

• 1) What would they gain? Though many people wrongly consider that Thaksin and his men are too good or caring to be even knowledgeable of the attacks (Thaksin cares about nothing but money and power) , there seems to be nothing gained from such attacks except possibly undermining and unsettling the new regime.
• 2) Uncharacteristic. Thaksin's tactics in the past have been more Machiavellian. The style of his government was to financially or characteristically discredit people. Other than the war on drugs and use of thugs to attack protesters, Thaksin's rule was brutal but relatively non - violent.

One more major point to consider here is how quickly the authorities pointed to the "undercurrents" for the blame. It seems very convenient. Thai authorities are known for their inefficiency, lack of training and corruption, yet 48 hours after such attacks all public fingers were pointing at Thaksin and his cohorts. This conclusion helps the new regime to demonise (as if it were needed!) and villanise the old PM as he continues to threaten by his presence alone. It's a most useful propaganda tool for the junta and surely achieves more than "undercurrents" would have done by instigating such attacks.

The mystery is likely to play itself out for some time yet. Thai politics are always dramatic. MP Chuwit has offered one million baht of his own money for any information leading to arrests, Thaksin's lawyer and the TRT party have both issued strong denials of involvement.

Hardly the ideal opening for 2007. After a tumultuous year of coups, protests, sickening southern violence and massive allegations of corruption, Thais are hoping for a better year. Sadly, with this tragedy sitting on top of a dubious national legislative assembly drawing a new constitution and ongoing investigations into corrupt politicians and continuing violence in the south , it may well be another trying year for the good people of Thailand.


For a written timeline of events and discussion about the forwarning of attacks see Bangkok Pundit I often disagree with many of his views but his coverage is excellent.

Music in Thailand - the entertainment black hole

One of the strange quarks about living out here is the flow of fashion from the entertainment world. I've lost count of the numbers of times friends in the UK have asked me "So what do you think of movie/singer/celebrity/band then?" only to be met by my blank stare. I miss my days of being on the cutting edge of the metal and heavy rock scene. These days I have to collect my information from kerrang.com and my friends in the UK. That's not to say that Thailand doesn't have its own thriving entertainment scene, indeed it does, but not as we know it...............

Entertainment in Thailand is a mixture of home grown, Japanese and western talent (I use that final word loosely).



Movies

Some western movies can arrive in Thailand more than a year after their release, others can be shown here before they screen in the US. "Madagascar" and "Garfield" are examples of the former , "Collateral" the later.

Japanese and Korean movies and TV soaps can be a big hit over here. Thais seem to find such movies attractive since they have only a minor cultural bridge to cross, appeal to many of the same ideals and are more professionally done. Western (both geographically and thematically!) movies are also a big hit.

And how about the home grown "big screen" affairs? Well, from a foreigner's point of view they can be very hit or miss, but - forgive my harshness - far more "misses". To be fair , the Thai movie making industry is far less mature and financed than even their Asian counterparts. However, the plain truth is that a huge proportion of Thai movies are appalling. So many local movies display signs of professional naivety. Often, the films will try to be all things to all people - featuring terrifying zombie who suddenly starts doing a hilarious dance, followed by the entrance of a kung fu teenager who will perform all kinds of stunts and then be courted by a pretty young girl, followed by the entrance of another hilarious fat ladyboy. Such a heterogeneous mix would challenge even the greatest directors,let alone the local producers.

Whilst awareness seem to be improving, the number of howlers is not dropping. Thai comedies continue to turn out endless tripe, usually full of the same repeated gags : ladyboy jokes, Laos and Isaan tribes behaving stupidly, and fat men falling over. Action films strain to emulate their American contemporaries but lack the funding. I recall one movie last year that featured a gang of Thais saving the world from a Burmese(Thailand's traditional enemy, as opposed to the Laos who provide comical gaffs) terrorist squad armed with a nuclear missile. The "missile" in question was clearly a piece of painted over car meal.


There is one hope on the action scene: a young start known in English as Tony Jaa. This young kid has tremendous martial arts talent and carries off the Jet Li style "innocent but dangerous" character very well. Sadly, Tony (pictured right) seems unable to speak English and all too often has to carry the inept performances of his peers on his shoulders. The hit "Tom Yanng Goong" is a perfect example. Switching between Thailand and Australia, the movie was designed for Tony Jaa to produce action that would open western eyes to his potential. Sadly the producers clearly didn't realise that their usual cast (nearly all Thai films use the same very limited draft pool of actors) couldn't actually speak the language of the script. thus an unintelligible scrip coupled with inept performances produced another disappointment that didn't achieve the US success it wanted.

There are some noted exceptions. "Fan Chan" ("My love") is a good movie. It features the childhood memories of a Thai man and draws some wonderful nostalgic feelings amongst Thais. Too bad they don't make more movies based around their own culture. Historical movies are something the Thai industry can do well, and some of the romantic movies can tug on the heart strings nicely. "Warrior of Ayuddhaya" , "The Letter" and "Dear Dakanda" are my recommendations.

Music
The music world runs along similar lines. Whilst certain western bands have become rooted in local psyche - you'll be hard pressed to escape The Eagles, The Scorpions or Santana over here - more modern bands tend to come and go, but some can miss out altogether.

Japanese pop, known as 'J pop' is popular - again the cute Asian look appeals to the Thais for obvious reasons - and the Thais provide plentiful talent in their own right.

Like many countries, Thailand's cultural development and idiosyncrasies can be seen in its music (and TV). Thai folk will readily acknowledge that traditional Thai music can be hard for foreigners to appreciate, it consists of highlighted singing with subtle changes of tone that can sound to untrained ears like mine as endless wailing. Since bus drivers , restaurant staff and village headmen will happily share this music at full volume with all and sundry, it can be a little trying, even for fellow countrymen.

Modern pop music is comparable to the west. The biggest Thai star is Tata Young. Tata is marketed on her half Thai roots and thus her white skin and ability to sing in English. Whilst paying lip service to Thailand's culture and values, Tata sings about subjects such as sex and boyfriends ala Britney Spears and Chsritina Aguilera. Whilst such topics would be almost expected in the west, they are still controversial enough to make more publicity for the local star. On the rock scene, Thailand has many local bands , of which a fair number can produce some quality tracks. My personal favourites are Ebola (picture left), Silly Fools and Endorpine.

There are plenty of local concert venues, and international stars do play in Bangkok on occasion. Usually this is done when more fashionable venues have already been played. The exception to this was the big festival last year featuring Placebo, Oasis and Franz Ferdinand. Whilst all the above turned out a good gig, frequent reports cited great upset amongst fans and musicians alike at the unprofessionalism of the concert organisers. Lack of stage management, lack of scheduling and lighting exposed organisers' inexperience at handling a true music concert. No further festivals have been announced.

Television
As for the TV, well don't expect too much variety. On the plus side, there is quantifiable news coverage and good sports shows. However, with all but one of the channels owned by the government and the army, it's very much big brother (the 1984 version) on the box. All channels turn out endless soap operas featuring innocent women, wicked parents, a bad boyfriend, a kind boyfriend, an utterly incorruptible police man and a hilarious ladyboy. Most shows consist of the characters screaming at each other inside their large houses complete with swimming pools at the back. In the end the bad person dies and the girl ends up with the kind guy, thanks to assistance from the lovely policeman. Then next week, the same actors take up different characters and do it all again. Don't believe me? You don't live in Thailand.

The light of hope is in ITV, having been hit with a huge fine for illegally cutting its own concessions (courtesy of the Thaksin government who wanted to control the independent station), ITV faces an uncertain future but one hopes to see some media reform set in place.


So all the above sounded negative right? Well I'm just being realistic..There are bright points: some good movies , talented bands, good sports coverage. It's also a massive plus that all these things are cheaper ere. A trip to the newest cinema to see the newest movie won't set you back than 150 baht (about five dollars or two pounds) , music CDs and movie DVDs are half the price they are in the west , even cheaper if you choose to be bad and buy on the ubiquitous and immensely popular black market.

Entertainment in Thailand is a developing industry and it's difficult for a westerner not to compare it against standards they have already known, I've no doubt that Thai music and movies will continue to improve and will turn out some excellent examples of local culture mixed in to excellent art in its own right. I just hope I'll still be lucky enough to live in the land of smiles when that happens.

*************************

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Personally, I had a great time letting Dylan play with his new toys. Blog wise, I'm planning to write a piece on controlling and reconciling with difficult students in the classroom. I'm also planning to write a piece on the western sponsorship of the Khmer Rouge on my political blog. That's all to come i the next couple of weeks I hope.