Chiang Mai - 11,250 monks gather alms at dawn

After a sleepless night courtesy of a two week-old daughter, the alarm screeched. The beginnings of yet another moan, its decibel count belying her size, provided a little more encouragement to crawl out from under the duvet. 5am. 'Tuk-tuk Beum' had been booked for 5.30am in a moment of folly several days before. Couldn't cancel at this late stage. Various trial excuses went through my head. None seemed good enough. So I threw on several layers of clothing, and looking like I was about to trek through the Himalayas, set off to Nimmanhaemin Road in Chiang Mai, scene of a mass alms-giving ceremony today.

(Click on any photo to see the full-sized image...)

A wise face - the senior monk, or ajahn, conducting the ceremony...

Some rather perplexed-looking young novitiates... all with name tags in case they got lost amongst the 11,250 monks present...

5.45 am, and the crowds are already beginning to gather...

11,250 monks gathered on Nimmanhaemin chanting before the alms-gathering proper begins... photo courtesy of 'Glen'

It was freezing. Well not literally, but all the same, early December the Chiang Mai province had declared the region a "cold-spell disaster zone".

"Prajon Pratsakul, chief of Chiang Mai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, said the disaster zone was declared on Dec 1 after the districts were under 15 Celsius degree for three consecutive days. He said the provincial administration is seeking 2.5 million baht (about £60,000) from the government to provide urgent help to local people who need about 100,000 blankets. The chief disaster mitigation office added that the temperature at the mountain tops in the province remained between 5 to 9 degrees for several days." (source: The Nation)

Ok you may mock! Hardly blue nose temperatures at "under 15 deg. C", but combined with the high humidity the chill factor seems greater somehow. Felt positively Alpine at 5am.

It proved to be well worth the effort. After all the depressing political stuff in recent months, good to see a smile on Thai faces again. The army was out in force, but for the right reasons. Even with eleven thousand plus monks to accept alms, the crowd, estimated at a hundred thousand, had a very large quantity of foods and medicines that the monks couldn't possibly carry on their own.

A simple version of this 'ตักบาตร' ('Tak Bat') ceremony happens every day throughout the year, although not always during the rainy season. Because of the 'unearthly' hour many farangs - tourists or expats - never see it. Barefoot monks set out at first light carrying their alms bowl - the sole container the monk is allowed to own (traditionally he is allowed eight articles in all - upper robe, under-garment, double robe, girdle, alms-bowl, razor, needle, water strainer). Why first light? Because the monks have to allow the laywomen sufficient time to prepare the single meal of the day, and this has to be eaten before midday. They cannot set out earlier; going barefoot in a country with venomous snakes, scorpions and the like isn't recommended.

They walk in single file, in order of seniority. (In the daily practice, if there are several wats in close proximity the temples' 'ajahns' (abbots) agree on the routes to be followed in advance).


For the sake of less-informed farangs present, the announcer explained in English that onlookers should not touch either the monks, or their bowls, should they wish to give alms. Those giving alms also remove their shoes. The monks neither look at, nor speak to the alms-giver...


Not just food, medicines and other essentials are welcome...


Devout, but always ready with a smile ...


The army lends a hand ...


Looked as if a whole battalion had turned out ...

It was a moving experience - even when one does not share the same beliefs, the simplicity, mindfulness, patience and gentle demeanour of the monks from the most senior right down to the youngest novitiates always impresses me greatly. From Hot Shots (see last blog) to asceticism in 24 hours, from the ridiculous to the sublime. That's Thailand for you.

"One slow approaching with his head close shorn,
A yellow cloth over his shoulder cast,
Girt as the hermits are, and in his hand
An earthen bowl, shaped melonwise, the which
Meekly at each hut-door he held aspace,
Taking the granted dole with gentle thanks
And all as gently passing where none gave". (Edwin Arnold - Light of Asia)   

tak bat ตักบาตร alms gathering thai buddhism thai monks buddhism in thailand

Celebrity fun and games in Chiang Mai

Porn Ping Hotel, Chiang Mai, choice of Bubbles - a kind of teenage (or so it appears to my generation) disco, where they beat your eardrums to death with aptly named 'trance' music until the early hours - or the club next door, Hot Shots. I opted (eagerly) for the latter. Not so eagerly that I wouldn't have gone for a beer and a quiet night in front of the footie had I been given the choice, but it wasn't to be. A night club with live music from Thai bands, not exactly my thing but anything's better than 'trance'. At least Hots Shots has a succession of scantily-clothed and very attractive singers succeeding each other on stage. And you can even take part in a conversation, without having to scream in each other's ear.

Not that I minded getting close to some of my companions in order to hear them speak, especially as they had some fascinating stories to tell.


A few of the young ladies in our group were retired 'exotic dancers' from a nearby go-go establishment. Party time tonight, a bottle of Black Label was ordered, and whisky and mixers were consumed by the tumblerful. Time to reminisce, it appeared. Celebrities were the subject of the conversation.

Little more than a year ago, a certain gung-ho American actor, getting on in years, was here in Chiang Mai filming sequel number IV or V... or VI? Who knows, the first one came out a couple of decades ago. You can guess the script - involves lots of Oriental-looking nasty commie baddies in the jungle, invincible American super-hero comes out of retirement to the rescue, rescues captured white Christian missionary girl... etc. Anyway, he and his wife, so the story goes, were staying in two separate luxury 5 star hotels - he in the Four Seasons, she in the Dara Dhevi. My ears pricked up. Two young ladies present were at work one evening when the go-go club was closed for a private function - it had been reserved for a select few from the film crew and cast.

Deluxe colonial suite, Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai

The limo quickly whisked them away (we'll call them "Reality" and "Z", which is as far away from their real nicknames as I can get ;-) to the wife's hotel, and an extremely good time was had by all three ladies, while the star looked on.

Just one comment was made about the super-action-hero... "He is very VERY old, you know!"

What a tough time these celebs have, eh? Such sacrifices they have to make in the interests of their art, too. The threesome cost set the star back a huge 6000 baht (approx 120 USD) short time, per girl. One almost has to feel sorry for him. A deluxe colonial suite at the Dhara would have cost him the pittance of 500 USD per night, as well. It's a hard life for some...


Back to 'Hot Shots'. These girls must have some stories to tell. But my baby-sitting rota was shortly to begin, and I'd done my bit introducing a farang newcomer to some of the delights of the Chiang Mai nightlife. Time to leave him to his own devices, while I happily headed back to my life of domestic bliss...

All Over, Bar The Fighting

Relax, it's all over. Until it happens again. In typical Thailand fashion its people will use their 'live for the moment', 'one day at a time' philosophy to turn the crisis into a fast-fading memory. A pragmatic approach in some ways - after all, why fret over that which cannot be changed. The main hope is that protest fatigue has set in after two years of building tensions culminating in demonstrations and, finally, the occupations of the airports.

Want to skip the politics? Click here... or here... I don't give a monkey's about Thai political games, I just want to look at some Thai boxing or more photos of ladyboys.

Or if you can bear some more serious stuff, read on...

In a country where it is part of the psyche to avoid confrontation at all costs, the Thais have discovered that they have the same capacity for conflict as the rest of us. The pressure just takes longer in the building, and consequently the damage is considerable when it is no longer containable, and finally explodes onto the streets.

(Remember, you can click on any photo in this blog - whatever the size - to see the full resolution images)


On the eve of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's birthday, there is a slim chance that the Monarch will come up with a formula that will lead to peaceful resolution of these issues. He has refused to invoke article 7 before, a get-out clause allowing the Constitution to be set aside in the event of insoluble problems arising. So it will need to be an inspired speech. There is so much bad blood, and little if anything has been resolved, despite claims of victory from PAD. The main points of contention that led to PAD's formation are still an issue - PPP has simply been reborn as the Peau Thai party. The next PM will likely come from the Peau Thai ranks. PAD has warned that it will be back if that happens. Here we go again ...

In the Thai mix there is rife corruption, cronyism, and a disproportionate and and to a large extent unmerited, ingrained respect for the 'successful' elite - which has contributed to the belief that the latter have carte blanche to direct Thai society as they sees fit. As much as anything the latest conflict was born of the struggle for supremacy between these big players. For these, transferring power to the people in a new Thai democracy has been a bitter pill to swallow. All these powerful individuals retain influence to a degree; the only difference is that positions have, if anything, become more entrenched.

PAD overplayed its hand. Just as it seemed to be on the point of victory, it became overconfident and gifted its opponents with some high cards for the next game. The airport occupation has damaged its and Thailand's reputation, as well as the Thai economy. Recovery will be slow - although I would bet it'll only be a short while before surprised Thais are saying "the airports are open, why aren't the tourists coming back to the Land of Smiles?"

Some quotes, comments and figures from the last few days...

Apichart Sankary, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents told Reuters: "I have never faced this in my life". He went on to predict that there would be a drop of one million tourist visitors over the 'high' season (November to March) and that this would costs the tourist industry £2 billion. This figure doesn't include all those that depend on indirect income from tourism.

The Bank of Thailand confirmed these figures, estimating losses of £3 billion over the whole of 2009. This equates to 1.5% of Thai GDP.

The Novotel general manager stated that his hotels are currently operating at 10% of capacity. Occupancy rates at other major chains have dropped by between 50% and 80%.

"People are going to avoid this place like the plague", according to a Bangkok trade fair organiser.

Government ministers were not slow to comment. One suggested visitors from abroad during 2009 could fall to 6 million from a previous estimate of more than 14 million. Another bluntly stated that the PAD action in occupying the airports was akin to Thailand "shooting itself in the head".

Thailand has proved itself to be remarkably resilient in the recent past, tourism bouncing back despite bird flu, a tsunami, coup d'etat, Islamist terrorism spreading from the south of the country. But as the Bangkok Post suggested yesterday, images from the latest chaos "will take a very long time to go away"...
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Getting away from the politics...

Finally decided to get involved in the expat community a little, after trying hard to steer clear of farangs for the best part of two years. The Chiang Mai Photographic Group seemed a good place to start... With a digital SLR that I barely know how to use, some tips on composing and editing decent photos wouldn't be a bad idea for the blog. Unfortunately practical photography was hardly on the agenda at the first meeting I attended, which turned out more as an evening of close navel inspection in typical Anglo-Saxon committee style. Still, it was pointed out that this was just a blip and not typical of normal proceedings -so better luck next time... I hope!

I strolled through town, 9.15pm - Chiang Mai was deserted. At Thapae Gate an impressive display for the imminent 81st birthday celebrations of the King had been erected. A lonely hill tribe woman sat on the steps preparing her croaking wooden frogs and various trinkets in front of an empty square. It's unlikely to be the carefree celebration we would usually expect on such an occasion - there is a definite undercurrent of tension amongst the majority of Thais, even if unspoken... they seem embarrassed by the whole affair. Justifiably so I reckon - if the UK were to put a similar farce on display to the whole world, I would be mortified.


Up Loi Kroh, a beer in one of the bars of the Chiang Mai Entertainment Centre. The girls were somehow more effusive than usual, when a rare customer strolled in. Or maybe it was just the cold weather, any excuse to get out of their chairs and move about a bit, to try to keep warm. I suspect it wasn't my fatal charms. Mamasan from one of Chiang Mai's three go-go bars wandered past looking pretty pensive. Her establishment was just across the road, known locally as 'Star Sick' (with the emphasis on 'sick'). I've no idea why the Thais call it Star Six, seeing as it is in fact, according to the label (see photo), Star XIX - ie Star Nineteen (for those who don't speak Roman ;-) No point asking - such a question would only produce blank incomprehension. Gone 10pm now, and not a single customer had crossed the threshold since I'd arrived. So Star Sick is a pretty accurate description at the moment, given the number of potential punters in town...

A far cry from a year ago, on a typical November night in this glitzy, sleazy Chiang Mai nightlife area. Some thirty bars of loud music, pool, friendly girls, helpful hostesses, katoeys (so make sure you have your glasses on if needed), and Muay Thai boxing. Packed solid with tourists back then, especially on boxing night during high season. An evening of the real thing (boxing) usually only happens once or twice a week - back then it was on a Monday, starting around 9.30pm. On other nights the local Muay Thai club members just go through the motions. They have the annoying habit of going round with a collecting box every few minutes, asking the same people several times for a tip - so be firm and tell them to go away - (politely... they all pack a pretty mean right hook).

If you're feeling really brave (beware, it's usually the alcohol talking), you can pay a couple of hundred baht to go a round with one of the boxers. They will take it easy - so long as you don't take the mickey. One of the best moments (apologies in advance, warped sense of humour again) since I arrived in CM was when a fit-looking, muscle-bound American strutted up, cheered on by his equally loud and drunk pals, and climbed into the ring. He was literally twice the Thai's size, in girth, height and reach. He proceeded to insult the elaborate ritual dance pre-fight preparations by stupidly imitating his Thai opponent's moves, and carried on playing the fool, laughing at the "midget" Thai when the bout commenced. It was obvious that the Thai was finding it hard to keep his cool. Finally one particularly blatant piss-take proved too much. A solid left kick to the back of the legs to bring him down to reachable height, an right uppercut to the chin, and it was Goodnight America. There's something gratifying about seeing arrogant Anglo-Saxons taught a lesson now and again...

The programme starts with some youngsters who look as young as 7 or 8 years old, then gradually works through to the main bouts later in the evening. Around 11 there is usually a farang v. Thai fight. Although there are some pretty accomplished boxers amongst the Westerners who box here, they usually have one major weakness - kicking, and taking kicks - especially to the legs. Most are classically-trained, whereas the Thais have been taking kicks to the shins since they were barely out of nappies.


So any chances of success are usually down to a good defence, height and reach advantages, and putting the Thai's lights out with fists before he can do any major damage, rather than genuine Muay Thai skills!

A US boxer takes on a deceptively unfit-looking Thai. (Note the yellow shirts, a sign of love and respect for the monarchy happily worn a year ago on Mondays - rarely seen these days because of the association with PAD...).

This video clip shows some of the younger Thai boxers mixing it earlier in the evening...

Unfortunately before the main bouts of the evening, we have to endure the katoey (ladyboy) cabaret...

I just want to make it crystal clear that despite any impressions to the contrary, I was NOT enjoying myself, and the wild-eyed, glazed look was entirely down to the amount of alcohol consumed over the course of the evening...
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So, back to the present. Never one to shy away from trying something new (except for the above, I hasten to add), for lunch earlier that day I'd opted for an odd-sounding item on the menu (see photo) - "fried organ meats". Couldn't be any odder than grilled cockroaches, surely? It turned out to be nothing more sinister than liver (I think)... but still, I wasn't too keen. Time to leave the frantic ladies of the Entertainment Centre who refused to believe I was only good for a game of jenga ... to go and get a decent meal. On to the Kalare Centre in the Night Bazaar - which is usually packed out.

Not tonight...


Completely dead. Ultra quick service as a result at this (usually) popular eating place for locals and tourists alike. There's a voucher system, with a kiosk at the entrance. Cash isn't accepted, the theory is that this helps ensure standards of hygiene are maintained. Any leftover vouchers can be cashed in when you leave (but not the next day if you forget).

Great food, a selection of all types... Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, it's all there. Well worth a visit if you find yourself in Chiang Mai. Should you think it worth the risk of holidaying here in the next year or so, the north of Thailand is - for the moment at least - safer than the south. So long as you don't wear a yellow t-shirt...

Airport occupation over... or is it?

The siege is over. Or is it? Yesterday morning PAD leader Sonthi declared unequivocally that his yellow army would stay put at the airports, despite the constitutional court ruling against the governing political parties. Then within hours he had backtracked on his words. "Victory" had been achieved, and there was no reason to stay put. For now...

From Sonthi's volte face it seems pretty clear that Bangkok Pundit's interpretation of events is likely correct. Pressure was brought to bear. It is no coincidence that the King's birthday is fast approaching, and it would clearly be disrespectful for such chaotic scenes to be taking place during a period of celebration. On BP's blog he reminds us of the actual wording of the PAD statement:

The PAD would like to make the following pledges.

1. If a proxy government of the Thaksin regime is set up again or if there is an attempt to amend the Constitution or the law to whitewash the wrongdoings of those in the Thaksin regime, to benefit politicians, or to lessen the power of the King, the PAD will return.

2. From now on, if there is any government which comes into power but is insincere in its efforts to launch new politics with the people, the PAD will return.

We would like to sincerely thank the people for being part of this historic event. Until we meet again when the country needs us.

In the press conference that followed the reading of the statement Sondhi was asked:

Reporter: Does this mean that if on the 8th or 9th the name of the PM from one of the 6 coalition parties is put forward, that you will protest again?

Sonthi : Definitely.

So those of you breathing a sigh of relief about your travel plans to or from Thailand, don't count your buffalo just yet!

Although allies in this (PAD) movement, certain business interests must be hurting badly from the economic disruption. How solid will those ranks be behind Sondhi in the event he decides to renew the airport occupation? Or isn't he more likely to surprise us with a new gambit? If the latter, seeing as he has been upping the ante all along, what could possibly be more effective or newsworthy than taking over the principal international airports of the country?

A hint of the source of some of his earlier backing from a report in The Nation:

"The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking said in a statement that the incumbent government had lost its capability to manage the country, so other parties should be allowed to form a new administration.

"If there is no success, the National Assembly [Parliament] should be dissolved to return the power to the people," it said.

The JSCCIB also asked the PAD protesters to leave the airports immediately and demanded that they stop all unlawful demonstrations."

But reading between the lines of this statement, the suggestion seems to be that Sonthi had gone too far with the airport occupations, in the eyes of the JSCCIB.

The foreign media has been breathing a somewhat naive and premature collective sigh of relief at this unexpected turn of events. There may yet be worse to come. Sonthi is an unpredictable general of his troops. He may in the early days of this conflict have been a tool of unseen pressure groups, but in more recent times he has appeared increasingly willing to take the kind of unilateral action that it is hard to believe has the full support of big business, or indeed any other silent ally with the interests of the Thai nation at heart.

In the days shortly after the Monarch's 81st birthday celebration, after a respectful lapse of time, I suspect we will have a much clearer picture of the situation.

Many twists and turns in this very Thai conflict yet to come, I reckon.

In the meantime, fundraising at the Chiang Mai DAAD headquarters continues, if anything, with renewed enthusiasm. New supporters were passing by throughout the day to donate funds and food, to buy the red bandannas and t-shirts on sale. A spokesman said he saw yesterday's ruling not as a defeat but as confirmation of a determination to quash the popular vote and sideline the less privileged majority of the population whose interests have been overlooked for so long.

An anonymous DAAD official made it clear that he thought violent civil unrest increasingly likely, even unavoidable.

No signs of a rapprochement just yet, then.

Crisis in Thailand? What crisis. Mai pen lai ...

It was getting pretty chilly watching the DAAD pro-democracy concert taking place at the Three Kings monument in the centre of the walled city, a tribute to the founders of the city of Chiang Mai. No accident that this location had been chosen – symbolic of the protest movement’s determination to be seen and heard at the heart of the capital of northern Thailand, one of its strongholds.

However even the attractive dancers did little to warm things up in the unseasonal cold, and the music was at least as bad as the racket constantly bombarding listeners to ASTV, the PAD (People’s Alliance for, cough, Democracy) TV propaganda channel. What it must be like for the demonstrators on the spot at Government House and the airport, subjected to a combination of that racket plus megaphone indoctrination all day long, week after week... no wonder they’re all acting so crazy.

Click on any photos in this blog, small or large, to see the full-size photos

At the Chiang Mai concert red shirts were gradually being covered up with other hues of clothing. 6 pm; time to leave.

Plenty of free food on offer at the DAAD (Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship) concert - but with all due respect to this version of Thai music, my ears couldn't take any more

Multiple official warnings from nations around the world are being issued with respect to travel to Thailand, but they are hardly needed - the effects of the crisis are already beginning to bite hard. I mostly avoid the Chiang Mai Sunday Market – overpriced, heaving with bodies, even outside the high season. Usually it feels something like a Bangkok traffic jam – a step forward, a long pause... you spot a small gap to squeeze into, jump in... only for your new lane to grind to a halt as half a dozen battleship-shaped Germans coo over some trinket, oblivious to the effect they are having on traffic flow. The Thais, being excessively polite, never lean on their horns. Everyone waits patiently.

Pretty quiet around the market, whether handicraft or food stalls...

The most direct route back was via the Sunday Market, so I chanced it. Well into the ‘busy’ time of year, yet despite this a first for me – being able to stroll from one end of Walking Street to the other, barely having to break stride.

A group of US tourists without a care in the world... after a few glasses of ginseng wine

Yes there were some people about, but mainly Thais; the farangs were few and far between. The Thai traders’ smiles were firmly fixed in place; but was it my imagination – they seemed a little forced. It was a strange sensation, once out of the highly charged political atmosphere of the concert arena, back amongst ordinary folk just trying to get on with their lives. A recent poll suggested some 60% of Thais were losing interest in the whole long drawn-out debacle. I can understand that – apathy creeping in, along with embarrassment at the loss of face for Thailand on the world stage. But the same 60% also believed that the Thai constitutional courts were best placed to sort out the whole mess in an objective, unbiased manner. Now there’s naivety for you!


There’s so much to be admired about the Thai approach to life, the “sabai sabai, mai pen rai” attitude - roughly equating to the message of the Bob Marley classic “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” - has its good points. Why worry about those things you cannot change? But this mindset has its limitations, leaves Thailand’s people open to exploitation by the more unscrupulous. The “it’ll all turn out alright” approach plays right into the hands of those powerful puppeteers pulling the strings.

Drat .. wanted to avoid politics in this post, and I’ve slipped up several times already!

Still you just can’t avoid the evidence of your own eyes. Loi Kroh Chiang Mai, 8pm Sunday night, and deserted. A sad sight.


On the political front (sorry again ;-) PM Somchai flew back into Chiang Mai at lunchtime today to be greeted by crowds of supporters who ‘escorted’ him back to his home... New appeals were broadcast by military chiefs asking all those involved to step back from confrontation by way of respect for the Monarch’s forthcoming birthday... Ominous threats issued from the same sources however, aimed at the demonstrators (ie the DAAD pro-democracy supporters), warning them of serious consequences should they come out in force after the courts rule on the legitimacy or otherwise of the governing political parties, tomorrow, Tuesday. (I think we all can guess what that decision will be)... The police are dropping fliers from helicopters onto the main Bangkok airport, ordering PAD to leave the premises (riiiight – that’s bound to work)... 240,000 tourists currently stuck in Thailand trying to get a flight out, and counting, tens of thousands more trying to leave each day... violent incidents are spreading ... and even my flight back to France on December 18th is looking a bit touch and go right now.

Still, you never know what tomorrow will bring, so as the Thais say, mai pen lai ...

To finish on a positive note... with a knitting needle and some string ...


... these can be made. Never ceases to amaze me, the creative talents you see on every street corner.

Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon in conjunction tonight. Get the distinct feeling that they're having a good laugh at our antics ;-)