Bangkok Protests and Riding the River.

     The political protests continue at several spots around Bangkok closing streets and bridges.  One is on busy Silom Rd. and about 6 blocks from the guesthouse.  With the street closed Thai have responded in typical fashion and turned it into a market particularly lively at night.
     The downside of the protests is that they have really hurt tourism and the economy. 6% of Thailand's economy is based on  tourism.  The local night markets near here, usually jammed with tourists, is almost deserted. The irony in this is that the party in protest are the ones we'd consider aligned with the Chamber of Commerce in America.
     Navigating around the protests has been no problem because I don't need to be where they are.   Also they do not effect the elevated train which is my primary method of travel.
    Yesterday I took the express river taxi up the Chao Praya River (the Mississippi of Thailand) an hour north to its final stop at the island of Nonthaburi.   It's not on the tourist agenda so I saw very few foreigners. Though it is still part of Bangkok it feels like rural Thailand.  The trip cost 50 cents each way.

Good News from the Dentist

     Gai  reported  that the dentist found two cavities, the one I spotted , plus one more in 14 year old Poy's teeth.  It was the first trip to the dentist ever for the 6th grader.  The good news is that both teeth can be saved.  Because one of the teeth is close to the front this is great news. Filling the two teeth and doing everything she needs will cost $60.  I'm elated!

I Spy pictures for Noble School

I Spy, Thai house, the one where I stay.

I Spy, Thai Pepsi is as close as I can get to a Hmong Pepsi,

I Spy, banana tree with bananas.

I Spy, I may not be riding an elephant but I'm sitting on one!

Another one in tears...my fault!

    Today's break from school gave me a great chance to spend the day with Mai, Gai and the family.  Gai was the one who looked after foreign teachers 6 years ago, the first year I taught here.  Their livelihood is their tuk-tuk; three wheeled taxi.
    What do you do when you want to spend time together?  Why...you go to the temple of course.  Ayutthaya being filled with ancient temples, ruins and modern temples we saw several.  Because all schools were out their daughters, Mai (16) and Oma (8) came with.  Their son, Ompa (14), was working but we stopped by his work site.
   Mai and Gai are big hearted people and, how the connection was made I don't know, but somehow they ended up as "foster parents", unofficially of course, to 14 year old Poy.  Her family destructed, perhaps father died and mother is in jail?...Gai talks broken English, rapid fire with a lisp, so, deaf as I am, I don't get it all.  Any way Poy was also with us.  She strikes me as a seemingly emotionally healthy 6th grader.
   After a number of temples and a great Thai lunch, at my request we went to the market looking for insects. In my I Spy challenge with the Noble students they want a picture of me eating an insect.  We couldn't find any so we moved on to a little mall.
   Last year I'd turned down a request from Mai to buy her an ipad.  With that in mind when she said she wanted to go to a particular store away we went.  It was a new phone she was after, to which I said OK. As she was picking out her phone I could see Poy's face looking very downcast.  I knew her phone was broken so I told her to pick one out too.  That's when the tears came.  She told Gai "No one except you has ever bought anything for me."  Lump in my throat.......
  Poy has bright smile but I noticed a small abscess on one of her front teeth.  Gai agreed to take her to the dentist tomorrow at my (St. James) expense. I think there is still time to save that tooth.
   Such is life in Ayutthaya.....

With Poy (my right)  Oma, (front) and Mia.

Meat for sale,,,fresh?

Louse Patrol.

   This year Thailand relaxed the rule regarding student hair cuts.  Previously girls had to have Page Boy style cuts and boys short hair. No more, now anything is allowed, though none of the boys at my school have grown their hair out.  However, 75% of the girls now have long hair.
  The change comes with a price.  Long hair has exacerbated the problem of head lice.  Today was 'head lice treatment day' at school.  It was easy to see who was being treated because they wore shower caps.  None of the boys had lice but I only saw two girls without shower caps.  It's not a cause of embarrassment and I often see women and girls sitting around picking lice out each other's hair. When I asked the teacher often they did louse patrol she said "once a week."   In 6 years of teaching this is the first time I've seen it.  What happens when a newly treated student returns to a home with lice?
  Yesterday I was teaching the 5th grade, my largest class with 23 students, working on vocabulary.  I said "key" and the class irrupted in peals of laughter.  I soldiered on holding up a key to demonstrate the word. When I got home I turned to my Thai dictionary and discovered that in Thai had said "shit".  I guess I stepped in that time, but, I did add a new word to my vocabulary.

Long hair.

"I Spy"  Sainee and Natsaree modeling their Wed. school uniforms which are Scout's.  All Thai students participate in scouting. 

Two 5th grade students modeling their shower caps.

Random pictures from Thailand.

Busy sidewalk on Silom Rd., Bkk.,  near my guest house

A monk rides in the pick-up with a Buddha statue offering blessings and taking offerings. 

A house next door to "mine" abandoned after the big flood three years ago.  There are 8 to 10  like this in this new development.  Work has resumed a on few since I was here last year.

Max' sewing machines.

This picture of  Wat Klang School taken from the temple. Classes are on the upper level and the downstairs is assembly hall, dining room and kitchen.

No work had been done on the new school since I was here last year.  I really like the  Funky, old wooden school.  Funding is via the temple so construction awaits money.

A Gift From China.

   A jacket would have been welcome on my 20 minute motorbike ride to school this morning. A cool breeze from China made it very pleasant, however, the teachers were complaining about the cold.  In his morning address to the students the principal told them that Mr. Al was used to the cold because he came from a cold country but they should wear coats...many had either coats or sweaters.  How cold?...perhaps 65 with a predicted high of 85.
   The rule that school girls must have their hair cut shortly below the ears has been changed to allow any length. Now a majority have long hair which is much favored by women in Thailand.  The rule on boys hair has also been relaxed but I don't see any difference with the boys at Wat Klong.
  There is big difference in numbers between classes.  The 5th grade is the largest with 23 students and the 6th is the smallest with 6, 3 girls and 3 boys. 15 per class would be about average.  This is considered a medium sized school.
   Here are some "I Spy" pictures for Noble School students.

"I Spy" The frying pan in the back with the indentations are as close as I could get to waffles.

"I Spy" What is this woman doing?

"I Spy" Why is this motorcyclist wearing a vest? 

"I Spy" Why does this man have a sewing machine on the street?