Thailand is a densely populated Central American narcostate

Ok, this probably makes me look like an insensitive ass, but whatever, at least I can come by it honestly. The blatant truth is that I came to Thailand and immediately began judging it in comparison to Guatemala, where I spent a few months in 2005. It was hot and humid, just like Guatemala. Trash was being burned everywhere, just like Guatemala. And woah! here comes a pickup truck with the bed completely packed full of standing guys in military fatigues and ski masks! I assume they won't shoot me, after all i'm the tall goofy white guy with a smile on my face, but still, yeeesh that gives me a chill down my spine.







It turns out that Thailand is in fact not Guatemala. The pickup truck with a narco army in the back was actually full of day laborers, who wear the fatigues and ski masks in the tropical sun to keep their skin from darkening. Turns out that staying as light skinned as possible is a big deal. But wait, this ain't pre-Civil Rights USA either! You are either white or black here, by local definition, but other than white being a desired status, I don't know of any actual discrimination being practiced. Thai people go to absurd lengths to look white (all sunscreens have whitening agents, most makups are whitening, and of course the ski masks), but Americans having plastic surgery is a better analogy. Really, as far as I can tell, it is just a cosmetic thing.



Other amusing not-Guatemala moments (sorry to pick on Guate, its a wonderful place in many ways)...



... I was reading on my front porch, I heard a shout and looked up to see a man running toward a dog cowering in the street. My Central American mentality fully expected to see the man wind up and kick the poor mutt as hard as he could in the ribs for having the audacity to exist. The Thai man raised his hand, and ever so lightly tapped the mutt on the nose to reprimand it. Ain't Buddhism cool?



... The lovely lady and I were exploring the countryside on our bicycles last Sunday. We were far from town, in agricultural lands, beginning to transition into wooded hills. A man approached us on bike from the opposite direction and began to try to communicate with us. We quickly established that we did not speak or understand Thai, but no matter, he kept on trying to communicate some very important information. All we could understand was the word for "water". My experiences in Central America taught me that it was vitally important to understand a message that was being communicated in such a fashion; you never knew when there were armed bandits just around the corner ready to rob you naked (seriously) and perhaps shoot you just for shits and giggles. But this being Thailand, we just shrugged and smiled and kept on biking.



As we climbed into the hills, we were cheered by families hanging out in their front yards relaxing in hammocks in the shade. Soon, we reached a magnificent lake tucked into the hills, a spectacular reward for our sweaty climb. Shortly there afterward, a teenage girl pedaled up with her little sister mounted on the bike behind her. She brought two cold bottles of water for us, compliments of one of the cheering families. As for the man's critical information...probably "water" had something to do with the lovely lake.



... Ok, I can't think of anymore good stories, poop.



I suppose this is one of those lessons that we learn when traveling abroad. Each place we visit should be judged on its own merits, according to its own traditions and culture. But, being human, we of course have expectations based on our past experiences. This is a very useful skill, it is how we adapt to a complex world, but it is good to remember its limitations.



Next post will be looking entitled Hypocrisies and Apologies. Hmmm, I doubt I'll be able to write anything witty enough to justify a tag like that, probably should just leave it standing as is. Wouldn't want to dilute it, yeah?



ps I would LOVE it if people commented with their own versions of stories I am telling. For example, if you have a story of a time you landed in Land X and had expectations of Land Y, I would be thrilled to hear it.