It’s very simple – People in Thailand love to smile. I have traveled all around Thailand with my camera and I find people very receptive to have their picture taken. In fact, some ladies and kids have run after me to take their picture. I guess they love to have their picture taken, because it gives them a chance to smile. While smiling for their photograph, many Thai people will often give a “V sign” with the forefinger and middle finger of their right hand. I am guessing that this little gesture means peace or victory; I don’t know which!

Funny thing, while I was taking a picture of Yao Man and his 2-year-old boy at Phu Lang Lodge in Northern Thailand, both of them simultaneously gave me the “peace or victory” sign as they flashed their award winning smiles. Like son like father, I guess.

Thailand is truly the Land of Smiles!

Kevan, the proprietor of Phu Lang Ka Lodge, is an extraordinary man. As the elected president of the Yao (Mien) people of Thailand, Kevan and his wife, Nong are very active in the community and play an instrumental role in the preservation of Yao culture and heritage. The Yao originate from the highlands of Southern China - over the years they have migrated and established communities over most of Southeast Asia. Numbering approximately 50,000 in Thailand, the Yao (Mien) people live for the most part in the northern provinces of Nan and Phayao and are one of the most successful and well educated of all the hilltribe groups.

Kevan is also the director of Ban Mai Pang Ka, a small community school that is funded by the government, at the nearby district of Pong. The school has about 320 students (ages 4-16) and is attended primarily by Hmong and Yao children from the surrounding villages. While most of the kids take public transportation to the school, about 70 children live at the school during the week - on a room and board basis - to return home on the weekends to be with their parents. About 65% of the children are Hmong and 30% are Yao. For the schoolchildren, the education is free and the Government pays for the salary of Kevan and his staff of 19 teachers.

Kevan and his staff organized a very impressive 2 day tribute, this past November to the recently deceased Princess Galyani, the king’s elder sister. On Thursday, November 20, there were ceremonial marches by the school children; then on Friday, both the principal hilltribe groups in the area - the Hmong and the Yao - staged their own separate tribute for the belated Princess, who during her lifetime had contributed much of her time and energies towards the improvement and welfare of Thailand’s hilltribes. Yao dignitaries from Oregon (USA) - friends of Kevan and Nong - showed up to pay their respects as well. Very well done, Kevan!

More on this Special Tribute in a subsequent post

The small nature lodge at Phu Lang Ka is a family affair - Kevan’s two daughters, Irene and Nissana and his son, Sattapat help him out with the responsibilities of running the lodge. He and his lovely wife, Nong maintain a beautiful home in Chiang Kham, a small city located about 33 KM away from Phu Lang Ka.

I really enjoyed myself in NAN, a relatively small and obscure city in Northern Thailand that few travelers have heard of. All my touring was taken care of by Fhu Travel, the most experienced tour operator in the city. Because of the scarcity of tourists in the area, I was the only participant on my two all-day excursions. Fhu Travel assigned a dedicated tour guide and driver to handle all the touring arrangements for me. Over the course of the next two days, I spent most of my time with these two gentleman who were born and raised in the area and had an opportunity to learn more about their lives. Nong, the tour guide, was a rather husky young fellow of about 25 years old who had fairly good command of the English language. Before working as a tour guide, he labored in the rice fields. He was married but his wife (and his young daughter) lived in Chiang Mai - about 5 hours away by car - where she worked as a teacher. Chaat, the driver, was a fellow in his late 30’s; like Nong, he was also married but his wife lived with him in Nan. While I was with them, both Nong and Chaat were always smiling and laughing as we often chatted about TIGERS (Thai girls).

When they talked among themselves, they spoke in their native Lanna which is somewhat different than Thai, the predominant language in Thailand. Lanna is considerably more nasal than Thai and some of the words are completely different. During my two days of touring, I sort of developed a friendship with these two gentlemen and I really enjoyed their company during the short time that we were together. When Nong talked to me, he always addressed me as Sir – I guess out of habit and respect - and I always retorted that I didn’t like to be called Sir, and pleaded with him to call me by my first name or any one of the many pet names I go by.

When we talked about TIGERS (Thai girls), both guys would become very animated, especially Chaat. Smiling and laughing, Chaat would say, “THAIgers very dangerous, eat money.” I guess this was a pet expression of his as whenever we passed by a young and attractive Thai girl, he would repeat his mantra with a big silly grin on his face “Thaigers very dangerous, eat money.” We all laughed and chuckled. Agreeing with Chaat, “I added Thaigers are very dangerous, but Farang gals more dangerous (and more expensive) yet.”

At the end of the 2nd day of touring, I told Nong and Chaat, since it was my last night in Nan before moving onto Phu Lang Ka, that I would take them out for a drink at the Dhevaraj, the most prestigious hotel in the town. Chaat was especially excited about meeting Nancy, the young and attractive female singer who was performing at the hotel’s nightclub. Later that night both gentlemen showed up at my guesthouse on their motorbikes and we proceeded to the Dhevaraj. On the way, Nong confided to me that neither himself nor Chaat - both men had been born and raised in Nan - had ever been to the Dhevaraj nightclub before, let alone inside the hotel. When I asked why, Nong replied, “We have never been there before Hanu, because we are not of the higher class.” He was alluding to the primarily Chinese Thai patrons of the Dhevaraj who were from Chiang Mai and Bangkok. “Nonsense I said, you’re the equal to any of these people, don’t put yourself down.” I guess my words, made them feel less self-conscious about themselves as we went inside the lounge, shared two large Changs (Thai beers) as we proceeded to enjoy the Thai cabaret show that featured Nancy and a number of other singers.

From this experience, I guess you could say I learned something about class-consciousness among Thai people. Anyhow next time I go to NAN, I will look up Nong and Chaat again and take them out for another round of drinks at the Dhevaraj. Hopefully, Nancy (and some other ThAIgers) will be there to join us!

By all means, check out my initial report on Nan!

It’s been a rocky start for CALYPSO ISLAND CHRONICLES in 2009. While I was on my 30-day odyssey to Thailand and Malaysia not too long ago, I discovered that Calypso Island Chronicles (and our associated website) had been hijacked by some nasty malware. This hijacking caused traffic numbers to our blog to drop significantly as many of our readers/visitors were unable to access our site and read our new material. Needless to say, this act of cybervandalism caused me a lot of aggravation and grief. Because of the hijacking, I decided to temporarily halt the blogging effort as of January 1st until the culprit was eradicated.

I can finally breathe a sigh of relief as it has been a couple of days that my webmaster – a young English bloke by the name of Paul who lives in the popular mountain resort of Pai in Northern Thailand - discovered a way to extricate the culprit (bug) from the site and banish it into the nether reaches of cyberspace. The details of this hijacking and how you can protect your website from being vandalized by this insidious type of malware will be treated in a subsequent blogpost. Now that CALYPSO ISLAND CHRONICLES has been debugged, we will commence our blogging effort on a variety of travel topics and issues. In particular, in the next couple of months we will feature many stories, anecdotes and memories from our recent excursion to THAILAND AND MALAYSIA. For a sneak preview of upcoming stories in CALYPSO ISLAND CHRONICLES, read on…

• A day at the Beauty Salon – how I was worked over by four ladies at my favorite beauty salon in Bangkok
• Excursion to the Moslem village of Nong Chok – interesting visit to a small rural Moslem community located just 70KM outside of Bangkok
• More Snippets from Bangkok – anecdotes, tips and random observations while stationed in Thailand’s fascinating capital city
• An eerie rendezvous with Mother Teresa, Ho Chi Minh and Mao Tse Tung – a visit to the Hall of Fame, the fascinating Wax museum at the Siam Cultural Center in Ratchaburi Province



• The Starbucks Index - the cultural impact of STARBUCKS in Thailand and Malaysia
• A pleasant Saturday excursion to the 100 Year Market – colorful outdoor Thai market, a popular weekend outing for Bangkokians
• THAIger very dangerous, eat money – a rollicking adventure in NAN in Northern Thailand featuring my amiable tour guides, Nong and Chaat
• Highlights of Nan – featuring the earth dunes of Sao Din, the Thai Hibachi factory and a visit to a Mlabri village, the most primitive and poorest hilltribe people in Thailand



• The Terracotta Lady – profile of the wonderful lady who owns Mae Pundin Guesthouse, an eclectic hostelry near Chiang Mai which features ceramic making and Thai Cooking classes
• The Plant Man – Profile of one of Thailand’s premier horticulturalists and owner of Udom Gardens and Nursery in Ratchaburi Province
• The View – commentary on the heavenly views at Phu Lang Ka, Phayao Province in Northern Thailand. Out of this world!
• Passport of Pan Hu and the Yao People – While I was Phu Lang Ka, I had the opportunity to learn about the origins and history of the Yao people



• Special Memorial Tribute to Princess Galyani by the Hmong and Yao people of Phu Lang Ka – One of the most heartwarming experiences that I have ever had as a traveler
• The ruination of MELAKA – how modern development threatens to destroy the old world colonial charm of this popular tourist town in Malaysia
• Snippets from Chiang Mai – includes a stroll through the famous night Bazaar, outrageous T-Shirts, a weird experience at Whole Earth Restaurant and more!
• Snippets from Cameron Highlands – random observations and tips about this popular hill resort in Malaysia including recommended places for dining



• Lulu, the best masseuse this side of Beijing – profile of a very talented lady in Cameron Highlands. I miss her magic touch
• The search for the legendary Jim Thompson - highlights of a most memorable all day tour in Cameron Highlands featuring a muddy 3 hour hike through the rainforest to the world’s largest flower
• Snippets from LANGKAWI – random observations and travel commentary on Malaysia’s most popular beach resort.
• Dine around Plan in Langkawi – A review of my favorite places for dining in this popular Malaysian beach resort
Sphere: Related Content

Farangs, like myself, rarely hire a motorbike taxi to take us anyplace in Bangkok as it is considered very dangerous – these daredevils on wheels are known to be somewhat reckless as they weave in and out of traffic. Furthermore most of the drivers do not provide their passengers with a crash helmet. It is not unusual to see these guys driving their vehicle on the sidewalk (sometime with passengers), as they hurry to stay ahead of the traffic on clogged Bangkok thoroughfares. On more than one occasion, I have been walking on the sidewalk along the Sukhumvit, a main road in uptown Bangkok, only to have to dodge a motorcycle taxi coming directly at me. WTF? I know of many bargirls who wear permanent souvenir(s) on their bodies - usually on an arm or leg – as a result of being involved in a motorbike accident.

Regular taxis are a safer option, albeit slower option. The meter rate for a taxi starts at 35 baht (about 1.00USD) – very cheap - and increases by 1 baht per for every 3-5 minutes, while motorbike taxis are even cheaper yet, costing a mere 20 baht for a short trip but oh so dangerous. 97% of the time, I will take a taxi all things being equal. However every now and then, when I’m in an extreme hurry and traffic is really choked up, I will take gamble and roll the dice by hiring a motorbike taxi.

On my last night in Bangkok, I took such a chance - I had a farewell dinner date at 7:30PM with Khun Moongmink at a small vegetarian restaurant on Soi 26 near the Sukhumvit and it was very important that I not be late. Standing outside the President Park Hotel (Sukhumvit Soi 22/24) at 7:10PM, I surveyed the traffic conditions - even though I was only 1.5 miles away from my destination, I realized I would never make it on time by taxi. The choice was to incur the wrath of Moongmink for being late or risk life and limb by taking a motorbike taxi. Choosing the lesser of two evils, I had the bellman at President Park hook me up with the best motorbike taxi that he could find and I told him to inform the driver that I would give him a big tip if he got me to my destination, safe and sound.

Looking at my watch as I hopped on to the motorbike seat, it was exactly 7:17PM when we departed. Sure enough, the driver took some short cuts, weaved in and out traffic and got me to my destination at 7:25PM in one piece. As I hopped off the bike, I waiied the driver and thanked him in Thai, handing him 40 baht and motioning with my hands for him to keep the change. As I ambled into the restaurant, I made a prayer to the Great Buddha in the Sky for my safe deliverance.

At the President Park Hotel in Bangkok (Sukhumvit Soi 22/24), a very unique show happens every day. It is quite entertaining – nowhere else in Bangkok have I seen this type of show. As a hotel guest attempts to cross the street in the pedestrian crosswalk, one of the doorman jumps out of nowhere and carefully escorts the guest to the other side, holding out his red stop sign for all drivers of the various motorized vehicles to see. I know that this busy curve that connects Soi 24 with Soi 22 can be a very precarious crossing - at any time of the day, many cars (especially taxis) and many of Bangkok’s infamous motorcycle taxis can be observed whipping around this legendary curve.

As a veteran of navigating this famous crosswalk, I always remember to look over my right or left shoulder to make sure it is safe to cross. When I reach the center divider or the middle of the crosswalk, I have gotten in the habit of looking over my other shoulder to make sure the coast is clear before completing my passage. Of course, with President’s Parks Stop Sign men working 24/7, it makes the crossing that much easier. Sometimes, I like to just stand there and watch the show!

Timing is everything – On December 03, 2008, BANGKOK DANGEROUS was the featured story on the front cover of the New Straits Times, one of Malaysia’s most popular English dailies. This of course referred to the ongoing political unrest in Bangkok and the continued occupation of the two international airports by PAD, a group of concerned citizens – mostly from the educated middle and upper middle classes - who have been trying eradicate the cronyism and corruption that has plagued the Thai government over the last 10 years. Exiled former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra and his family have been PAD’s primary target.

As always, in the newspaper business, sensationalism sells papers. Wouldn’t you know it, come December 4, the political conflict in Bangkok dissipated after the courts declared the current regime as being illegal and the two opposing factions – the yellow shirted PAD and red shirted pro-government supporters - put aside their differences and a truce was put into the place. It was then that PAD ended their occupation of the airports - both airports reopened and the many stranded tourists were able to leave. It was business as usual. A day after the sensationalist headlines, Bangkok was no longer dangerous! Timing is everything…

During my travels through Thailand and Malaysia, I have eaten at numerous inexpensive Indian Restaurants – primarily in Bangkok, Cameron Highlands, Melaka and Langkawi Island. I am referring to those casual cafeteria type or budget affairs which cater to a mix of locals and frugally minded tourists. At most of these restaurants/cafés, when the waiter serves your meal he usually does not provide you with any napkins. With Indian food in particular, when picking up my curries, vegetables and rice with the Naan bread, I find my hands getting very dirty.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the famous rhetorical question, Why does the chicken cross the road? Like the reason for why the chicken crosses the road, have you ever wondered why inexpensive Indian restaurants typically don’t provide napkins to their customers?

Well, on my last night in Tanah Ratah (Cameron Highlands) while eating at The Kumar Indian Restaurant located two doors down from STARBUCKS, I decided to ask the manager what is the rationale behind this practice. I knew what the answer was going to be, but I just wanted to hear it from the source. Without mincing any words, the affable manager told me it is really all about improving the bottom line (money) – as the meals are so cheap, the restaurant can cut down on their expenses by not providing napkins to their customers; after all napkins cost money! Upon hearing this, it confirmed what I already knew. But taking the stance as the devil’s advocate, I told him that while his local customers from the surrounding area may not squawk at this practice, many westerners will perceive this no napkin policy as poor service and may become irritated having to ask for napkins all the time. While this practice may reduce the bottom line, it will most likely have an adverse affect on the waiter’s tips as well.

Before finishing our conversation, I was tempted to ask him, “Can I wipe my dirty hands on your shirt”. Of course, common sense got the better of me as I timidly asked him, “Can you bring me some more napkins?”

Still wondering what is the correct answer to “Why does the chicken cross the road?” The answer is - To get to the other side.

Thailand is known around the world as ‘The Land of Smiles’ because Thai people are naturally friendly and usually greet strangers with a warm smile. Funny thing - when passing through immigration, the female officer did not make any eye contact with me, nor utter one word let alone flash a smile as she processed my passport. Looking around at her colleagues, I noticed the same type of behavior. Oh well…

When buying a can of been of beer at a local 7-11 in downtown Nan (Northern Thailand), I found it highly peculiar that the female clerk inserted a plastic straw in the bag. After all, who drinks beer with a straw? Asking my tour guide later on, he informed me that Thai people often drink beer with a straw. Who woulda thunk?

From what I have seen, Thai people in Bangkok are considerably more relaxed and less stressed than their counterparts from the San Francisco Bay Area (and the USA in general). You can see it on their faces and by observing their body language.

Sunday evening in Bangkok is a relatively lively affair compared to San Francisco. Passing through Bangkok after 7:00PM, I observed many young people congregating at such popular fast food restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut and the like. Small streetside cafeterias and food stalls were also quite busy, as many Thai people prefer to eat out because it’s so cheap rather than do their own cooking. Shopping centers and malls also seemed to be doing a fairly brisk business despite the global recession. Shopping after all is one of Thai people’s favorite activities. Compared to Bangkok on a Sunday evening, San Francisco is like a ghost town.

To all my readers, blog subscribers and fellow travelers, I would like to apologize for my absence in the last 12 days. Since arriving in Thailand from San Francisco on November 12, my schedule has been so hectic that I really haven’t had either the energy or the opportunity to sit down and blog about my experiences until now.

So here I am at Phu Lang Ka, a quiet and spartan mountain retreat in the Northern province of Phayao where I am doing nothing but resting, nurturing my spirits and blogging. Nobody here speaks much English and the nearest town of Chiang Kam is about 40 minutes away. My Thai cell phone does not pick up a signal and there is no internet, and I love it!!!. This morning when I go to town, I will stop at the nearest internet café and publish my first in a series of blogs about my ongoing adventure to Thailand and Malaysia. Once again, to all my readers, blog subscribers and fellow travelers, I would like to apologize for my absence.

Oh the weariness of the long distance traveler-blogger.

Just a little footnote: Nov 24 - I discovered much to my chagrin that my website was temporarily suspended because my hosting service failed to renew my domain with GoDaddy - I was billed by the hosting service for my domain up through Nov 2009! Thanx G_D, I ‘m back up again!!!