Epilogue: In Search of Krung Thep

By Dr. Joel Moore

Since 2005 Dr. Yeoh Seng Guan has been leading groups of students from Monash University’s School of Arts and Social Sciences to major cities in Southeast Asia.  The program requires students to take learning far beyond the classroom.  They write and edit the articles featured on this blog, document their adventures in real time with photos and commentary shared on twitter and facebook, and create a video documentary after returning.  In addition, they must plan and execute their own stories once in country.   Because Dr. Yeoh was on sabbatical this year I was fortunate enough to be able to lead this trip to Bangkok. 

I have been extremely impressed with this group of exceptional students.  Their willingness and ability to not only meet these deadlines but to ask penetrating questions and synthesize the their experiences has made the logistical challenges involved in planning and carrying out such a trip more than worth it.  Nine days is, after all, not such a long time.  It could be easily spent reclining by a beach with a good book or surrounded by familiar faces at home.  These 18 students elected to face tight deadlines, late nights, strange foods, and both emotionally and intellectually challenging themes.  These themes made their way naturally into conversations that I overheard throughout the trip: in the hotel lobby, during fast-paced marches to scheduled meetings, and in the back of a taxi stuck in Bangkok traffic.

Throughout the trip, students commented on how kind and hospitable the people in Thailand have been (our hosts in particular).  We are all tremendously grateful to Chulalongkorn University for being our host while in Bangkok.  Ajarn Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies, provided invaluable logistical assistance, introduced us to our Thai student guides, and generously gave his own valuable time to speak with our group directly. 

While in Bangkok we were fortunate to have the chance to train in Muay Thai at Jitti Gym with Kru Jitti Damriram and his elite trainers.  We gained insight to the reality of life for LGBT individuals living in Thailand from Khun Paisarn Likhitpreechakul.  My thanks also to the caring and committed staff at the Duang Prateep Foundation, who graciously spoke with us about the lives of the urban poor in Bangkok’s oldest slum.

My special thanks to Mr. Luke Chaya, Khun Kim, and the staff at the Golden Palace Hotel in Bangkok.  They provided clean, safe, and comfortable accommodation in the heart of Bangkok at a very generous discount.  The staff were always warm and welcoming. 

We are especially thankful to the Business for Rural Education and Development (B.R.E.A.D.) for giving us insight into the rural communities that must cope as their young adults travel to Bangkok to find work.  Their rural education and development programs in Buriram gave us the opportunity to see the problems faced by these communities and some promising initiatives designed to help resolve them.  Judy Yoon in particular helped us to plan an itinerary that made the best use of our time and resources while in Buriram.  My gratitude also goes to all of the knowledgeable and welcoming staff at the Bamboo School; the Village Development Partnership’s agriculture, apparel, and silk programs; C&C Resort in Buriram; and the Toy Library.    

And, of course, we would like to thank Khun Mechai Viravaidya, whose inspirational leadership and vision lead to the creation of all of these initiatives and who encouraged me to bring the group to Buriram in the first place.

Overseeing the trip would have been much more difficult without the help of Andrea Tee, this year’s chaperone.  Andrea worked diligently to keep me informed about the comings and goings of the students as they explored in small groups.  The team leaders for this year’s study trip included Bonnie Teh, Jia Wei Low, Farah Amirah Zulkefly, Melvin Shawn D'Silva, and Leena Mohammed.  They worked closely with the rest of the team to keep the articles coming in on time and with consistently high quality.    

This study trip has been a great pleasure to lead and I look forward to reading about Dr. Yeoh’s next trip with great anticipation.  

A group photo with B>R.E.A.D. in front of one of the factory there.

Dr. Joel Moore, 35, is a lecturer that specializes in political economy.

Editor's Last Words

By Low Jia Wei

As I stepped into the familiar 7-Eleven corner store of my apartment back in Malaysia, something rang different about it. Sure, it had the iconic ‘7’ and the familiar dee-doo ring that greeted patrons, but there were some things amiss. As I stood in front of the beverage chillers, my eyes searched the cans, looking for that refreshing manao soda and the cultured milk drink we so fondly dubbed ‘wizard drink’. Sadly, there were none to be found. At the cashier’s desk, in place of rotating sausages of all manners (pork, chicken, cheese filled, spicy, etc.) were breath mints and condoms. When I received my change from the cashier for my paltry pack of Chips Ahoy, the words that were my mantra for the past 9 days escaped my lips. Khob kun khap.

******

It’s been quite the journey for me, this year’s study trip. I had a feeling I might have bitten off more than I could chew when I unceremoniously became Chief Editor (which I shamelessly vied for). My premonitions were correct. This year’s team of travelers had quite the personalities, from the headstrong leader of the video team, Farah to the sassy (I mean that in a good way) webmaster, Leena to our very wary chaperone, Andrea, who must have needed a ton of eye drops from keeping her eyes peeled all the time in the dusty city of Krung Thep. In the immortal words of Helen Sneha, “This can go either really badly or really well.” Thank the divine it was the latter.

We’ve been mostly free of major conflicts throughout this trip, for which I am very much grateful. Indeed, our journey through Bangkok and Buriram was very much drama free and our team really did well in working together. Special commendations should be given to the writers, editors and the online team (basically everyone) for maintaining an excellent work ethic and updating the blog on time every night. Ironically, however, I am writing this post five days late.

For the ‘study’ portion of the study trip, I for one had a fantastic time with our speakers and facilitators. It’s really the opportunity to see the underbelly and lived experiences of a place that makes it all the more special to me, and that we did. Learning about the politics and history of Thailand from Professor Thitinan was especially enlightening to me, short as it may have been, and it really was quite the eye opener to learn of the many, many coups that Thailand has experienced in a century alone. And talking to Empower and learning about Bangkok’s sex tourism industry was also an experience unto itself which I hope has cleared some preconceptions that some of us might have had about sex workers. And I daresay all of us got quite a kick out of watching a spunky, five foot, middle aged lady wear a sparkly bikini top (it’s less sordid than I make it out to be). Learning about Thailand’s supposed LGBT acceptance is also a learning opportunity that was invaluable. So many of us (don’t deny it) associate Thailand with the kaythoey (ladyboys), gay Thai boys, and society’s perceived tolerance, that we automatically assume it must be a Mecca for LGBT people. But as always it’s never quite as cut and dry as it seems. I guess while I’m at it, I should say that Muay Thai is really, really fun. Though the experience could have been made better by not having to put on extremely sweaty gloves and handwraps. And not having a professional Muay Thai fighter send bullets of sweat flying onto a certain editor’s face via backflips.

It’s nice to be home, but at the same time I will miss things about Bangkok and Thailand. I’ll miss the food. I’ll miss the clean streets of Bangkok. I’ll miss the 7-Elevens. I’ll miss Dr. Moore chattering away in Thai and calling us lunatics. I’ll miss singing loudly in a tourist bar with reckless abandon. I’ll miss the polite nature of Thais. I’ll miss the 30 baht cans of beer. I’ll miss watching other tourists squirm at the sight of fried insects. I’ll miss being able to practice my badly mispronounced Thai, limited as it may be. I’ll miss being able to have a delicious meal for less than 40 baht (~RM4). I’ll miss waiting for the ridiculously packed BTS train and chatting with my fellow comrades. I’ll miss discussing politics, religion, shopping and music with my fellow travelers.

But most of all, I’ll miss the mangoes. By Jove, I’ll miss the mangoes. 

Low Jia Wei, 24, is majoring in Writing and International Studies and enjoys the simple things in life, like 6x6 Sudoku and beginners level Minesweeper.

Wat Arun; What a Site/Sight

By Lee Jun-Elle

On the third day we rode a boat to visit Wat Arun, a Buddhist temple on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok. I suppose the benefit of not having looked up information and photos of the temple was having a burst of delight when Dr. Joel confirmed that those towering tiers of architectural magnificence was our destination to be.

See how little we look beside the "Temple of Dawn" -- which only makes more significant the building of this temple as a measure of our forefathers' patience and love for the art, and King and God.

My excitement however, dampened seeing tourists in poorly tailored rented costumes, posing for photos with hands in air and all. Donation boxes posted at every corner of the surroundings also peeved me off. But after crossing the gate to the temple with two statues of kings guarding entry, serenity and awe hit me again.

Wat Arun is also named The Temple of Dawn because the first light of morning reflects off the surface of the temple with pearly iridescence. It is surrounded by four smaller prangs decorated by seashells and bits of porcelain which had previously been used as a ballast by boats coming to Bangkok from China.

These pieces were colourful mosaic details on a tall and large temple but became orange, white and blue, and green flowers and leaves when inspected at closer proximity

There were no plaques explaining each detail of the temple but I was fortunate to have found a tour guide standing in a shaded area and learnt a few things before she had to rejoin her tour groups

As the guide explained, the half woman half bird statues carved in the base of that prang are images of mythical animals adopted from Hindu concepts.

The first tier of the temple held statues of demons wrapped around the bottom like a belt while the second tier had monkeys and the third, angels on elephant trunks. The temple in its entirety is supposed to represent the world of God with a shimmery gold seven-pronged trident at the very tip of the top, as the Trident of Shiva. The four surrounding prangs signify different regions and with the amount of careful handiwork, we noticed that each face of a statue representing the people of the particular region, were different.

Climbing the stairs up the main prang seemed doable up until a breeze rolled in which made me look to the point at which I started. It was then that I decided that having simply experienced sight from the first tier was enough of a thrill ride for me. A few of us did manage to reach the top but came down just as comedically as I did. They made it seem as though a magnetic force kept our bodies close to the steep flight of stairs and arms tight on the railings as we slid each foot to the next bottom step.

Other than the frightful descend but enthusiastic exploration of the temple at ground level, this temple left a lasting impression on me because I saw the motivation behind the creation of architectural grandeur in the sparkle that Thai people had. I saw their humility and pride, their activeness and calmness, and their warmth and respect. Though seemingly contradictory, Thais managed to find a balance between these qualities. It’s hard to pinpoint a reason for their admirable characteristics but I suppose the importance is not simply in the why. It gives me strength knowing that beauty in the world lies not only in beautiful works but in beauty within people that is exuded through their works.

Lee Jun-Elle, 21 is about to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Writing and Communication. She is very keen on visual stimulants and anything rusty with history.

Savouring every mouthful of Thai food

By Sharon Chew

Food in Bangkok and Buriram has been awesome and trust me, you will not have enough of it (or maybe it is just me). Since the day we arrived, I have been eating non-stop and officially, I can add Thai food onto the list of food that I love. Penang is where I came from. They have a lot of good food there and I will go for Thai food at least once a week, but of course, it cannot be compared to the authentic Thai food I have been savouring these few days. Not to mention, the food sold at the convenience store is yummylicious too!

Thai national cuisine is a blend of several Southeast Asian elements and is known for its spiciness. Thai food is rich in colour and flavour.  It is also known for its balance of three to four fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet, salty and bitter. Basically, when the food is served, the look of the food opens up your appetite and the moment you taste it, your tastebuds come alive.

During our stay here, we have tried foods from the convenience store to restaurants; from street food to home cooked food. The difference in terms of food in Bangkok and Buriram is their ingredients. In Buriram, we saw that the hosts have their own farm for the mushrooms and vegetables that were served to us which gives you the feeling of freshness, and you also taste the sweat and hardwork of the villagers. Although in Bangkok, we do not see the farms, the ingredients are still fresh and they taste really crunchy and juicy, especially for the vegetables. Besides that, in their markets, you can see a big piece of pork hanging. 

Before I go on to the authentic Thai food, I just want to mention the tastiness of the food from 7-Eleven which to some of us, is actually the best food to have. The main reason is that it is just a 2-minute walk from our hotel and the service there is wonderful because they heat up or defrost the food that we want (which is a service that we cannot find in Malaysia). When asked the opinion of a local, he said that 7-Eleven would be his last choice. He also mentioned that tomyam is not their national dish – most of the days, I thought tomyam was the national dish of the Thai people. He mentioned that it is just one of the many famous dishes they have. Other dishes that are known internationally are fried chicken basil, green curry, clear tomyam soup and not to forget the famous fried noodles – pad thai.

Throughout the three days when we were in Buriram, we were served tomyam for almost every meal by the hosts. Not to forget their sincerity and their kindness – they were extremely humble and generous too. We were really spoilt at that time. The tomyam here is different from the one I had in Malaysia whereby it is filled with all kinds of other ingredients like, chicken, fish, prawns and squid with mushrooms. Besides that, the taste of their tomyam was a balance between spicy and sour which is difficult to get right. 

Other than this, one of my favourite local food is their boat noodles. It comes in four flavours and three sizes. They are beef, pork, tomyam and one pink soup (whose name I am not sure of) and they can be made small, medium or big. If you are a big eater, I would suggest you go for the medium or big one or another alternative is to order many small sizes of different flavours (just a heads up, the small one is only one mouthful and that is all). The pink one tasted a little weird but we saw some people from other tables started mixing the noodles. So we tried and when the pink one is mixed with the tomyam, it tasted less weird and more flavourful. 

We also tried this soup noodle near our hotel and were shocked that the locals actually put sugar into their soup. One of the student tried adding sugar and chili flakes and the taste turned out to be really great. It has a little spiciness and a taste of sweetness which is a lot different from many dishes we have back home. Other than that, when we were having our meals outside, the locals usually serve the noodles with other added ingredients by the side and they include, peanuts, chili flakes, sugar and green chili. 

The street food here is awesome, especially the pork steak which we purposely went around Chatuchak weekend market to buy before we were satisfied to leave for the mall for more shopping. 

It does make one wonder how Thai people stay so thin when they eat so much sugar and it is rarely heard that they have any diabetic problems. Malaysia, where food is also another tourist attraction, should really learn. 

Sharon Chew, 23 is a mediocre student who loves food but always forgets to take photos. Loves to daydream but never remembers them

Every Day 7-11: Thailand’s Mini Mart Mania

By Andrea Tee

Images Source: Google

As our days in Thailand come to a close, I find myself reflecting on the sights and sounds of our various destinations. From the hubbub of activity in Bangkok to the quiet beauty of Buriram, we are recurrently involved in a flurry of movement and change. It is thus incredibly important to, (when and where we can) establish little routines—small things that we can take comfort in and rely on. 

One of those things is 7-11.

There are about 6,300 7-11s in Thailand, half of which are in Bangkok. There is one on nearly every major street in the city, sometimes within 200 meters of one another. In one particularly surreal instance, we passed in between two 7-11s facing each other from opposite ends of a street. 

One might ponder the extreme popularity of this mini mart franchise, but after traversing the streets of Bangkok for hours on end, the appeal of 7-11 becomes significantly easier to understand. In the scorching heat of a Thai afternoon, these green, orange and white stores transform into an air conditioned oasis, beckoning to hot, thirsty pedestrians like a desert mirage (only far more satisfying). 

The sliding doors open with a whoosh, and you are instantly greeted with a blast of cold, crisp air and a kaleidoscope array of drinks. The variety is astounding. In larger stores, an entire fridge aisle is dedicated to dairy products, a few of which include fresh milk (13 baht) in various flavors and assorted yoghurts. Ovaltine (18 baht) my personal favorite, is malty, chocolatey and smooth as crushed velvet. Members of our team particularly enjoyed Betagen (affectionately referred to amongst ourselves as the ‘Wizard Drink’), a cultured milk drink that aided digestion and smoothed the passage of spicy Thai street food.

In Malaysia, 7-11s are boring affairs—stops made out of desperation and the lack of anywhere else better to go. Our selections are repetitive and limited, but Thai stores feature a huge variety of snacks, drinks and liquor. No proper food stalls around the area? There is always a freezer unit in a 7-11 stocked full of microwave meals, featuring Khao Phad Gaprow (rice with a basil leaf stir fry), the quintessential phad thai, rice with omlette and so on, from 25 to 70 baht. The counter also features a series of sausages, some bacon-wrapped and others stuffed with cheese and various other fillings. Just tell the counter attendant that you would like to ‘wave’, and a hot meal will be yours.

Suffice to say that many of us visited the 7-11 near our hotel with startling regularity, stopping by in the mornings for canned coffee and packaged cinnamon rolls, and again in the evenings for a drink or to top up our prepaid phone credit. These little stores became an essential part of our Bangkok routine, just as it appears to be a significant facet of the Thai city lifestyle. The store near our hotel was packed every morning with people on their way to work. Young girls and boys in their school uniforms linger inside, buying drinks and small food items, and in my limited experience, I had never encountered a completely empty 7-11. 

You can also apparently pay your Thai electric bill and purchase plane tickets from a 7-11, lending further credence to the fact that Thai 7-11s are amazing and will always, entirely without fail, continue to amaze me.

Andrea Tee, 23, is the intrepidest, terrificest, most ravishingly good-looking honors student on the team. (The fact that she is the only honors student on the team is negligible)

Thai Brides

By Leena Khalifa

It seems Thai women today are the way American women were fifty years ago, before they discovered their rights. Or at least that’s how Joseph Davis of California sees it. Mr. Davis, who was featured in the New York Times, says that because of American womens’ awareness of their rights, the situation between American men and women is not “as relaxed” as the one between an American man and a Thai woman. 

If anything, Western men coming to Thailand to find wives is not new nor rare – in fact, it seems to have developed into its own craft. Udon Thani, a city in northeastern Thailand, is especially popular, and has played host to some of the earliest cross-cultural marriages – ones that took place between local women and U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War. Now, Udon Thani even has a street that is called “Foreign Son-in-Law Street” where the Western husbands generally get together for drinks. The secretary of the Udon Thani Provincial Office said that there were 845 women in Udon Thani married to foreign men and living in Thailand, and more than a thousand were abroad with their foreign spouses. 

It is of interest to note that Isaan, the area with the highest number of these mixed marriages, also happens to be the poorest area in Thailand. It is no secret that these marriages have become a matter of business for many of these Thai brides, a simple means of survival and comparative prosperity. They are young, and in the poverty that surrounds them they seek men who are financially stable and able to support not only them but their families as well. These men, for the most part, are retired and living on pensions. Thus, the age gaps seen are usually no less than twenty years.

This craft of interracial marriage has initiated a flurry of dating agencies in Thailand and online sites as well. Foreign men often look online for women prior to their first visits to Thailand – women who they very likely may end up marrying. Thai women, on the other hand, go to dating agencies to set up profiles and to facilitate the meeting process. These agencies, “Introductory Service” being the name of one of them, come with their own screening processes and preferences developed from experience with costumers (Western men), traits like an adequate command of English and an age not too frowned upon by society, although even nineteen-year-olds are signed up. Videos are taken of the girls to show to those who are interested. All in all it is seems to be a process reminiscent of factory assembly lines, a process of convenience, demand, efficiency, and careful arrangement. 

The factory, however, does not come without its own faults. Online expat forums, like thaivisa.com, have dedicated entire boards to accommodate this marriage community, a community in which almost 11,000 foreigners wed Thai women. These online boards have an intense focus on topics of divorce and pre-nuptial arrangements. But to put it more accurately, the discussions seem to center on the practical and straightforward, rather than the sentimental and idealistic. Issues of discussion can for example deal with visa arrangements for the Thai brides, or as mentioned earlier, about pre-nuptials and Thai marriage laws. Alas, the expat man appears to be wary. 

And so it seems that Thailand reserves a place for all desires. Travellers may cross this country for its quaint temples, its outrageous sex industry, its beaches and mountains, or its mouthwatering cuisine. But for the man over fifty who hails from the West, this place holds a woman that may become a wife that will provide him with comforts his modern world no longer sees as necessary. 

Leena Khalifa, 21 is currently pursuing a purpose in life, but also hopes to hold a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies by the end of 2013. If you're nice, she might mention you when she accepts her Oscar

Thailand’s Current Political Situation

By Helen Sneha

Thailand is an exceptionally well-endowed country – its food and hospitality are widely known, and it has ample resources and exports to sustain it economically. Yet many issues of leadership and legitimacy continue to afflict Thailand. The simple question of who deserves to, and gets to, rule the country has yet to be answered. As Associate Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak put it in our session with him today, it seems that those who win elections cannot rule, while those who rule cannot win elections. Politicians and corruption will always go hand in hand, but there are power players on the scene in Thailand who, while not able to contest electoral seats themselves, are in positions to prevent election winners from governing in every sense of the word. 

A bit of history might be in order to fully understand the implications of ruling and being elected in modern Thailand. Thailand was an absolute monarchy till 1932, until that was overthrown by the military and civilians, who drafted their first constitution. The 80^th anniversary of the day the absolute monarchy was overthrown was last Sunday, June 24^th. 

Post-World-War-II Thailand saw 25 years of military dictatorship, running from 1947 to 1973. Politicians and political parties were not allowed to exist, for the most part, and despite the turmoil in the rest of the region – with the Vietnam War and Burma’s military dictatorship raging – Thailand managed relatively well. In 1973, students overthrew the military dictatorship, which had grown undemocratic, inflexible, and corrupt, and, in a sense, reset the constitutional monarchy. There was then a right-wing military backlash against this in 1976, which led to another year of military dictatorship. It is interesting to note that these years of dictatorship were not as bad as they could have been as the generals did not try to micro-manage the economy and instead hired experts to do it – a lot of Thailand’s ample resources and exports were in fact built up during periods of military dictatorship. 

1997 was a year of serious democratic reforms, with a new constitution that appeared to combine the best elements from Japan, Germany, and the USA towards promoting greater transparency and accountability. When the 2001 elections came about, it appeared that Thaksin Shinawatra had the answers to long-standing unhappiness stemming back to the economic crises of 1997/1998, and by suspending farmer’s debt, and making available micro credit loans and universal healthcare, he won over the rural poor solidly enough to go on to win five subsequent elections by healthy margins. Yet another coup occurred against Thaksin’s government in 2006, despite his being a strong, popular, visionary leader. Judicial coups dissolved his new-formed party in 2008, and disenfranchised Red Shirt protestors took to the streets following two years of military rule in 2009 and 2010. Thaksin’s third-generation party, headed by his sister Yingluck, was then elected in 2011 by a 265/500 majority. 

A question that arose during the session was why Thaksin got re-elected so many times. sThe answer was threefold: first, he was the first to truly connect with the majority of voters in the rural areas – taking advantage of the income disparity meant that his policies could earn him the votes of the North and the NorthEast, nearly half of the population; second, the Democrat Party was not a viable alternative, and third, there was a growing political consciousness even among the rural poor. 

In the big frame of things, as Associate Professor Pongsudhirak phrased it, Thailand is currently in a kind of lockdown. Highly reductionistically, it could be a clash between the traditional and the modernized. As it stands, the military is aware that a coup now would lead to massive Red Shirt protests. Yingluck, meanwhile, as Prime Minister, could not do much in the face of one because the legitimacy of rule is still very much drawn from traditional sources of power. In no way, however, does traditional moral authority have to be opposed to an electoral mandate – there are no black and white distinctions. Being a loyal subject and being an informed citizen do not have to be oppositional.

Thaksin Shinawatra. (Source: Google Image)
 

The 2006 military coup. (Source: Google Image)

Helen Sneha, 20, is a second year Bachelor of Arts student, double-majoring in Writing and International Studies. She is hopelessly interested in tennis, funky rings, dinosaurs, and the human hand.

Thailand’s Sex Industry and the Empower Foundation

By Amanda Sangeetha Thomas

One of the first thoughts that come to mind when someone says Bangkok is, sex industry. It’s true that Bangkok does have a large and eventful night life and sex industry that caters to any and almost every sort of fetish and preference. Since the Vietnam War, Thailand has gained international notoriety among travellers as a sex tourism destination. Selling sex may remain illegal in Thailand but it is also still lives right there in Pat Pong, Bangkok. Where there is a sex industry, there will be sex workers.

Empower Foundation ("Education Means Protection Of Women Engaged in Recreation"), also known as Centre for Sex Workers' Protection or Moolniti Songserm Okard Pooying, is a non-profit organisation in Thailand that supports sex workers by offering free classes in language, health, law, and pre-college education as well as individual counselling. It was founded in 1985 by Chantawipa Apisuk. The organisation also lobbies the government to extend regular labour protections to sex workers and to legalize prostitution. Unlike most Thai organisations operating in this field, Empower takes a neutral stance towards sex work and does not pressure people to leave the trade. Partly because of this, Empower receives little financial support from the Thai government; the bulk of the donations come from abroad.

Many sex workers who work in this industry don’t really have the confidence to achieve any sort of goals except to work to take care of themselves. Empower aims to help these women. With this current age of technology and communication, these women learn how to use the internet to their advantage and equip themselves with information that is vital to their wellbeing and legal status as a citizen of Thailand. At the Empower foundation they teach these girls to speak the English language so it would help them when dealing with their foreign customers. Some of these girls use the computers and free internet that is provided at the centre to chat and keep in touch with some of their valuable ex-customers. 

The government did have talks in 2003 to legalise prostitution and the sex business. By legalising the sex business, the government will stand to gain in economic profit and this will indefinitely boost the country’s economy. Legalisation would give the estimated 300,000 sex workers access to social services, healthcare, and protection from abuse while exposing corruption among the industry's gatekeepers - police, politicians and business owners. Chantawipa Apisuk, who runs Empower says as long as prostitution is illegal, "the mafia will be the employer and ... the employees will be sex slaves".

In 2005 The Rockefeller Foundation agreed to support Empower in becoming Empower University. In many ways, Empower had been a university for many years. In addition to the 30,000 sex workers who have studied with Empower, Empower Foundation has increasingly become recognized as the strongest and most successful organization for sex workers in South East Asia. This recognition has seen Empower sharing skills, information and methodology with an increasing number and variety of groups and individuals nationally, regionally and internationally. Empower hosts visits at least once a week for groups and individuals be they students, journalists, researchers, government officials, women’s organizations or those working for UN bodies. 

Empower has a long history (since 1985) of offering internships and trainings to a diverse range of people. Interns have included people from Trent University, Harvard University, Brown University, AFS Programme Australian Volunteers International and John Hopkins University. 

Amanda Sangeetha Thomas, 21, currently pursuing majoring in Communications and International Studies, suffers from sleep deprivation.

Diary Entry – Day 7

By Bonnie Teh

Photos by Esther Chung, Amanda Sangeetha Thomas, Bonnie Teh

We started the day bright and early. Most of us were going about buying morning snacks from the ever-exciting 7-11 and collecting laundry. The air was abuzz with enthusiasm, as it was the last day for sessions after all. We made our usual way to the BTS Skytrain, getting off at Phrom Pong today. Getting a taxi was such a chore. Most of them were not familiar with the destination we were heading to. We were dismissed by most taxis the minute we told them the location, so we decided to walk in the blistering heat until we could find willing taxi drivers to take us there. The plan worked moderately well I suppose. Some of us walked a little, and some of us, more.

About an hour later, we found ourselves arriving at the Duang Prateep Foundation. I suppose we were somewhat expecting to be in a slum, but the centre was on a main road with no signs of tangible urban poverty. No matter. We were treated to a moving video presentation, and then taken on a tour into - yes, the real slum. Surprisingly, we needed only to turn left off the main road into an alleyway. It was just a complete maze from there on. It was left and right, and right, and right, and left. You’d think that the slum-dwellers were objects of our observation, but I think it was quite the opposite. Naked children stared at us from doorways and mangy dogs clamoured for our attention. It was all very sad, yet enlightening. I suddenly was reminded of how fortunate I am. What were the odds? I could’ve been the one squatting at slums, dreaming of a better tomorrow.

A moment in the slum.

Once we were back to the Duang Prateep Foundation centre, we had some free time and spent some of it interacting with the children there. They were mostly amused by our presence, though some were reserved and kept to their colouring books. I must say that they love being photographed though. They would pose for you, and want to see their picture. It was all very cute. Arman and Nandhini were especially taken by the children and expressed wishes to be parents very soon. I found it rather hilarious, and worrying.

All that baby-talk made us hungry so again we walked in the punishing heat to Chumchuri Square to have a quick lunch. The food was moderately good, but not great. It was reasonable though, to my surprise, since we were at a shopping mall. Powered by food, we again walked under the horrid sun to Chulalongkorn University to explore the political situation of Thailand. I very much liked Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak who gave the talk in regards to the issue. I found him rather eloquent and passionate, in a mild-mannered yet critical kind of way. Thailand and Malaysia’s political landscape has been quite similar of late, and I think the kind of progress that is in place is very encouraging. Both nations are doing something right.

Professor Thitinan giving a lecture on Thailand's politics

Our second student guide, Jang, joined us after her class today. She is petite and witty. We all took a liking to her. After all that serious discussion, we again took a 20 minutes walk to Pat Pong to visit an NGO called Empower. Pat Pong looked like an ordinary street in the daytime. It was almost strange. The founder was very charismatic and somewhat sarcastic. I liked her and thought her a real soldier for her people. It was just so amazing, to see that much effort channeled into enriching the lives of sex workers. In a nutshell, they provide sex workers with information, character building and skills training. Skills training include language, computer and cooking lessons, etc. The founder also demonstrated to us how a number of show props were used, some of which I found hard to appreciate. We were also given a generous amount of condoms as souvenirs. I thought they were great because the words on the packaging were in Thai. I do not know if any of us had any use for them though.

Wall of words for those learning English at Empower

Bonnie Teh, 23, currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Journalism at Monash University. Has I'm-gonna-take-on-the-world days and no-mood-for-small-talk days.

Thailand’s Urban Poverty: An Overview and The Duang Prateep Foundation

By Seow Choon Hui
Photos by Esther Chung, Amanda Sangeetha Thomas and Bonnie Teh

When it comes to the issue on poverty, many will tend to associate the term with rural underdevelopment and resource scarcity, often in a conventional sense. Nevertheless, in recent years an extensive body of literature has emerged to provide a more concise and well rounded definition, measurement and analysis of poverty. To begin, urban poverty, especially in cities like Bangkok is a multidimensional phenomenon. The urban poor live with many deprivations. Their daily challenges may include:

• limited access to fair employment opportunities and income,
• no legal right of abode, fear of evictions
• inadequate and insecure housing and services
• violent and unhealthy environments
• little or not social protection mechanisms
• limited access to adequate health services and education opportunities.

Despite the fact that Thailand’s economy has improved over the years since the 1997 Financial Crisis, the issue of urban poverty is still rather apparent until today. The financial crisis has had some impact on unemployment and underemployment starting in December 2008, though overall unemployment is still very low. As the economic crisis began, unemployment rates in Thailand increased. In December 2008, the number of unemployed individuals rose by 65 percent year-on-year, resulting in an unemployment rate of 1.4 percent in December and 2.4 percent in January. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Education showed that the crisis also hit new graduates from public and private universities. The share of unemployed new graduates almost doubled from 17.7 percent in 2007 to 30 percent in 2008, which is evidence that labor supply and demand are moving further apart. However, the unemployment rate only tells one part of the story. The number of underemployed workers in fact increased by roughly three percent (180,000) between September 2008 and March 2009. This comes to show that despite the occurrence of globalization that has benefited many parties, there is still an apparent social and economy division in the country. It is when the rich becomes even richer and the poor as well as those who can’t catch up with the rapid societal and economical changes will be left behind.

Internal migration within Thailand has always been happening but at a particular point tracing back to almost 40 years ago, rural area villagers and the working class started to flock to the city of Bangkok in search of a better life and a job that pays relatively more. This is when the problem of urban poverty began to flourish as the ratio of employment opportunities to the population was rather high and following the swift pace of the shifting socioeconomic forces, these individuals then became part of the statistics that delineates urban poverty. One of the two major slums in Bangkok, minutely tucked within the busy district of Klong Thuey, is an example that illustrates the actual circumstances of what urban poverty is like. 

A part of Klong Toey slum

Communities living in unruly condition.

The Klong Toey Slum is one of the oldest and largest slums in Bangkok, having been around for about 50 years. The slum communities are made up of a majority of rural migrants from Northeast Thailand who came to Bangkok in search of job opportunities. They constantly face threats of eviction from the authorities in Thailand because they have no legal right to the land that they occupy. Poverty and health problems are just some of the difficulties faced by the community of the slums.

Sanitation and living conditions not at the most desirable level

Today, the Duang Prateep Foundation (DPF) seeks to help these urban poor, providing education for the slum’s children and organizing various projects to help empower the people and communities. Starting with just a house and a group of slum children, the Prateep sisters’ humble beginnings had grown from just five people working in a small office to having over 100 staff and twenty full-time volunteers, with many part-time helpers. In 1992 the Foundation moved into a new permanent building, Thailand's first comprehensive and resource center for a slum community.

Since education is the main effort of the DPF, the people are exposed to skills and knowledge which can aid them in a long-term period, enabling them to be independent in the future and cultivate a sense of confidence. In the process, the foundation instills a sense of community participation and ensures that communities like these are able to advance forward by helping not just oneself but one another. Pioneering projects by the DPF would encompass:

• Duang Prateep Kindergarten
• Community kindergartens
• Educational sponsorship
• Special education for the hearing-impaired
• Nithan Caravan puppet troupe
• Youth groups
• Tsunami relief program
• Senior Citizen's care
• HIV/Aids awareness program

Perhaps the matters on urban poverty might not be eradicated all at once and poverty in certain parts of the city will still remain, but the DPF has initiated a very valuable effort to the slum community. Alongside the main agenda of the Thai government, DPF as a whole does not only look after the well-being and state of the community but also changes the general public’s current mindset that the poor is the source of society’s ills. There is definitely a much larger picture to that but with DPF’s initiatives, it is believed that the income gaps in Thailand will be gradually bridged and the alleviation of poverty shall be increased in near future. 

Seow Choon Hui, 22, is a Bachelor's degree holder double majoring in psychology and communications. With the semester coming to an end, he is currently stuck between limbo of his last term and the taunting realm of being a fresh graduate.

Once Upon a Time in Thailand: Folklore or Religion?

By Esther Chung

In most societies, the distinction between local folklore and religious teachings remains unclear. The line is usually blurred. It is difficult to tell when folk legends end and religious myths begin. Such a situation is no stranger in Thai society: one could tell that some are obviously local lore, whereby others remain indistinguishable. Two popular folklores will serve to illustrate this dilemma.

The legend of Nang Nak revolves around the tragic tale of a loving and loyal wife – Nak. Both Nak and Mak were expecting their firstborn when Mak was called to serve in the king’s army. Mak won the approval of the king due to his bravery and combat skills, and was thus awarded with riches. He returned to Nak and their newborn boy, a happy man. As he was expressing his contentment of being blessed with success and a loving family, his neighbours grew wary and suspicious. They said that Nak died during childbirth along with their newborn son. Mak did not believe them and laughed it off. The next day, the village was horrified by the brutal deaths of the neighbours whom warned Mak about his family. Mak still did not believe the villagers’ warnings until one by one they were found cruelly murdered. He then spied on Nak to see if the rumours were true. It was found that Nak had ghostly abilities. Mak fled from his ghost wife and Nak began to terrorise the villagers as she thought they were the ones who separated her husband from her. The village shaman interceded and exorcised her and her son’s spirit so they could find peace. 

A shrine to Nang Nak can be found near Phra Khanong in memory of her devotion and undying love to her husband. According to our local tour guide, Wang, the legend of Nang Nak is doubtlessly a Thai folklore. It is a widely known folklore and people still present offerings to Nang Nak’s shrine. The two known variations of the legend have no elements of Buddhism in it. 

Another household name would be Nang Kwak, whose original name was Nang Supawadee. Supawadee was the only child of two travelling traders. She was described as filial, compassionate and wise for her age. She would accompany her parents to town and help with the trading. One day, Supawadee overheard the sermon of a travelling monk and asked permission from her parents to go to a nearby temple where he was going to preach. Entranced by his teachings, Supawadee then took refuge in the Triple Gems (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha). Her devotion moved the gods, who then bestowed blessings upon her and her parents.

Supawadee, widely known as Nang Kwak, is now worshipped as a major deity, especially in service-based business establishments like restaurants and hotels. She sits cross-legged in a red dress and golden crown with her hand posed in an inviting manner, as if to invite guests into the hotel or restaurant. Nang Kwak is an equivalent of the Chinese deity of prosperity, believed to bring profits and good luck to corporate agencies.

An altar to Nang Kwak in our accommodation, Golden Palace Hotel, Bangkok.

In this case, Wang could not clearly tell whether Nang Kwak is a Thai or Buddhist myth. While the human figure of Nang Kwak is clearly known as Thai, the process of her apotheosis remains hazy. A variation of the legend purports Nang Kwak to be the daughter of a mountain spirit. On one hand the legend has strong relations with Buddhism, on the other it sounds like a shamanistic belief. 

Be it related to religion or local beliefs, one can spot the similarities found in most folklores of different countries: the jilted lover, the devoted believer and a vengeful spirit, to name a few. Having said that, it cannot be denied that Thai legends have their own unique flavor to it.

P/S: The two tales were told to me by our Buri Ram tour guide, Wang.

Esther Chung, 21, is a Communications and Writing major student. Married to chocolate. Last seen swooning over the poems of Edgar Allan Poe.

Diary Entry - Day 6

By Shanaz Mohamed 
Photos by Amanda Sangeetha Thomas

Having almost the entire evening free the previous day, we were all quite refreshed when we headed for breakfast. After we energized ourselves with toast, porridge, and omelettes, we left to check out the M.B.R. Sporting Goods Co., Ltd. 

M.B.R Sporting Goods Co., Ltd. is a textile and shoe manufacturing factory. Amusingly, we were allowed to take pictures of the inside as long as it was taken from the outside. The manager gave us a tour around the different blocks of the factory which made different products. Although we did not get to enter the factory, we were shown samples of their products such as children’s bed sheets, shoes, lingerie, and even Calvin Klein shirts. We were curious enough to ask whether they sold the reject shirts there, only to discover they sold them at the mini mart a few minutes away.  

By the time we were done there, our vans were waiting to take us to the Bata factory. This particular factory was not owned by Bata, but by the locals. However Bata is their biggest buyer and their products are labelled Bata.  There are 150 workers in the factory. As most of the population in Buriram were women, many workers were female as well. They used division of labour for production; while some were stitching up the soles, others were attaching them to the shoe.  

Unfortunately for them, they face the issue of younger generations leaving to work in factories in Bangkok where their wages are higher than theirs. But they intend to raise their wage rates by the January.

Here’s a fun fact for you, if you look for the number on the Bata shoes, and if it says 455, then they were made in Buriram. 

Our last stop was the Baan Paeeng Puay School. We gathered in the library, where two of their students showed us around the school. The kids told us that they were allowed to borrow books from the library for 7 days per book. 

They also had a ‘tree of good deeds’ in the library where if the students did community service, they wrote what they did on a piece of paper and their parents would sign for verification purposes. Then, these papers were hung from a make shift tree.

The school ran a programme called ‘school bird programme’. This programme is funded by Skoll, Population and Community Development Association, and The Mechai Vravaiya Foundation. Under this programmme, students grew vegetables like mushroom, chilli, eggplant, lime, and mints. They also raised frogs and cat fish. When they were ripe enough to eat, the students gave them to the school and sold the leftovers. The students who grew the mushrooms managed to earn  about 13000 baht. Parents helped to design the program and since the students sold it, the whole community benefited from it. It also goes well with the rice plantations that the rest of the community does. 

Interestingly, the school had decided that they would re-use the old toilet bowls as pots for their plantations.

We came back to C&C to have lunch. And we were packed up and ready to go back to Bangkok by 1:30pm. It was then the realisation, that it was our last day in Buriram, sunk in. I’d say it was bitter sweet, but really, I was really looking forward to bathrooms which weren’t ant infested, or clogged. But we would all definitely miss the greenery, and the carefree life style that the people in the village displayed.


Before everyone went their separate ways for dinner, we had a cultural night practise session. I’d tell you what the dances are, but you’ll just have to wait for the big night to see our dances! But let me tell you this, our dances truly are awesome.

So here we are, back in Bangkok, looking forward to another exciting day

Shanaz Mohamed, 19 is a Psychology and International studies major, a dedicated doodler, collector of quotes, and a comic book geek, among other things. 

Tennis in Thailand: A View from the Stands

By Helen Sneha

As I was walking down the stairs of the Phloen Chit train station two nights ago, I spotted, in the shadows, a lone lady holding an oversized tennis racquet. I ran up to her and asked, “Do you play? You play?” while trying to mimic a service motion. She said that she didn’t play, but she worked for a company that made tennis racquets. If she was used to tennis-mad tourists interrogating her on the sidewalk at night, she didn’t show it. 

Some tennis-mad tourists (okay, fine, I have to admit I’m one of the many) might have fretted that having great adventures in Bangkok would have to come at the expense of that most hallowed of tournaments, Wimbledon. Even before it had started, Wimbledon 2012 was promising to be particularly remarkable, especially with Olympic tennis due to be played there at the end of July. It was to my great delight – you can ask my roommates, they saw a legitimate outpouring of it – in which I discovered that the hotel provided StarSports as one of its channels.

I was then reminded of the numerous advertisements that run during the course of the Australian Open, the first major of the year, stating that the live broadcast on StarSports is presented by Thai Airways. I’ve never flown with Thai Airways, but I know that for once I’m glad for a big corporation. This way I could spend my days and nights in Bangkok and the wee hours of the morning on the lawns of the All England Lawn Tennis Club – in spirit, of course. 

I would go so far as to say that on the whole Asian continent, Thai tennis is only behind that of those two regional heavyweights, India (which has produced the Amritraj brothers, countless outstanding doubles teams, and Sania Mirza) and China (who boasts Li Na, the first female Asian grand slam champion). Thailand is certainly the most successfully country in South East Asia in terms of producing tennis players, and arguably even in terms of hosting tournaments. While Laos can lay some claim to Anne Keothavong, who will represent Great Britain in the Olympics this summer, and her brother, James a top-tier umpire who regularly makes the trip down to South East Asia over the yearly indoor swing to umpire in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, Thailand has produced top-tier players such as Paradorn Srichaphan and Tamarine Tanasugarn over the years. 

Srichaphan, to the best of my memory, attained the highest ranking ever achieved by an Asian man in the Association of Tennis Players (ATP), a record which he still holds today. He appears periodically on StarSports’ tennis program ‘Ace’, offering views on upcoming tennis matches and sometimes even playing little quiz games with the hostess. Broad-shouldered, tanned, grinning, and good-natured, he still cuts an impressive figure in his post-retirement. 

Tamarine Tanasugarn, sadly, made an early exit at this year’s Wimbledon a few days ago, but has a powerful forehand and is usually a tricky opponent on the grass. She, along with Mirza, Li Na, and Japan’s Kimiko Date Krumm has done much the image of Asian women’s tennis over the past few years. 

Thailand also hosts an ATP tournament right here in Bangkok. It has been successful over the years in pulling in big names like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray. In a region where tennis tournaments struggle to find funding, the Bangkok Open has done remarkably well for itself, pulling visitors from all over its neighboring countries and offering the players full stadiums and healthy sums of prize money. 

As I write this from my hotel room, I’m half-watching last year’s defending champion, Andy Murray, play in front of his home crowd at Wimbledon. I must say, I really enjoy the Thai commentary. 

Helen Sneha, 20, is a second-year Bachelor of Arts student, double-majoring in Writing and International Studies. She is hopelessly interested in tennis, funky rings, dinosaurs, and the human hand.

Galleria of the Macabre: a journey to the Siriraj Medical Museum of Death

By Arman Attarzadeh

Many countries around the world have their fair share of bizarre and surreal attractions that almost seem to be ripped out of the confines of an overly imaginative mind, yet none have I seen that are as peculiarly morbid and at the same time amazingly jaw-dropping as the Museum of Death located within Siriraj Medical Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. When I first discovered this place of macabre exhibits, I immediately knew that I had to prepare myself for a smorgasbord of formaldehyde-preserved fetuses, human body parts, organs and other gut-wrenching things that I could not fathom at the time.

At first, I thought that I would be the only one who would have been interested in seeing something as ghastly as the ‘Museum of Death’ and that the others would be too terrified to even consider the thought of visiting it. Boy was I wrong in thinking that as, lo and behold, once I explained the place to the group I immediately had eager volunteers who would accompany me to see this gruesome attraction – with the tiniest of females in our group being the most enthusiastic of all of us.

The museum is split into 6 different sections, with each section dedicated to disgust you in its own way: 

1. The Ellis Pathological Museum dedicated to fetal development and abnormalities, different types of cancers, explaining the functions of the heart and heart disease, and brain abnormalities and tumors.

2. The Songkran Niyomsane Forensic Medicine Museum dedicated to forensic investigation and the displaying of forensic evidence in crimes such as rape, murder and involuntary man-slaughter.

3. The Ouay Ketusingh Museum of History of Thai Medicine dedicated to the development of Thai medicine and herbology.

4. The Parasitology Museam dedicated to parasitical infections and causes of infectious diseases.

5. The Congdon Anatomical Museum dedicated to displaying anatomical and osteological specimens of both normal and abnormal features.

6. Finally, the Sood Sangvichien Prehistoric Museum and Laboratory, dedicated to archeological exhibits and findings within Thailand and the explanation of the development of humans and their communities.

We only managed to see the Ellis Pathological Museum, the Songkran Niyomsane Forensic Medicine Museum, the Parasitology Museam, and the Sangvichien Prehistoric Museum and Laboratory but let me tell you, it was still definitely worth it. My favorite section was the forensic medicine museum that displayed real-life human bones and body parts related to crimes along with other criminal evidence such as murder weapons and extracted bullets. It was an unexplainable experience to be so close to actual dead bodies; drawn in to this world where the exhibits are not merely for show but rather, those bodies behind the glass panels were all at one point living, breathing, sentient human beings with a family and a job – hopes, dreams and aspirations that were all taken away from them. You could actually close your eyes and see what the skulls would look like with skin and flesh on them, or hear the cries of a new-born baby who was drowned in water. It definitely sent shivers down my spine yet I didn’t want to leave the museum, wanting to take in all of it and burn the image in my mind no matter how twisted that sounds.

With our schedule so packed and our time so short, our visit to the museum had to end a bit sooner than expected. As we all began to make our way out of the hospital, we were all still trying to wrap our heads around what we had just witnessed. It was an experience no one would ever seem to forget and many would go on to take something from it as I know I did. So with one last look at the Museum of Death, I bade adieu to all the exhibits and made my way to the exit all while still thinking about the wondrous things I had seen in there. Thailand, you definitely stepped up the game this time!

Arman Attarzadeh, 21 is a dedicated Linux & Android user. Also a passionate guitar player and computer-generated techie. Overall, a jolly fat man pursuing a Bachelor's Degree at Monash University Sunway Campus majoring in Communications and International Studies

Cabbages & Condoms

By Amanda Sangeetha Thomas

The Cabbages & Condoms Resort Nang Rong also known as C&C Resort, is an establishment by the Mechai foundation. The Mechai Foundation is part of The Population and Community Development Association (PDA), which is a non-profit organisation that was founded in 1974 by Mechai Viraraidya to promote family planning in Thailand especially in the rural areas of Thailand. Today, PDA is the most diversified NGO in Thailand. 

Cabbages and Condoms' Restaurant

PDA dates back more than thirty years to Khun Mechai Viravaidya, who, some of you may have heard speak not long ago at a TCCC luncheon. He has earned respect throughout the world for his humanitarian work in the area of the prevention of HIV/AIDS and for improving the quality of life in thousands of villages in Thailand. Since he established PDA as a grassroots organisation in 1974, Khun Mechai’s vision has never wavered. His aim was to complement the efforts of the Thai Government in promoting family planning in areas where knowledge and access to services were scarce. Trained residents of villages and urban neighbourhoods were recruited to provide information on family planning, including the supervised, non-medical distribution of oral contraceptives. Between the 70’s and 2005, the number of children per family decreased from 7 to less than 2, largely because of Khun Mechai’s efforts. Today the organisation is one of the country’s largest networks, monitoring 11,000 villages through 18 centres in 15 provinces.

View of the lake

Restaurant Deck

After addressing the immediate family planning needs, PDA expanded its activities to include primary health care, HIV/AIDS education and prevention, water resource development and sanitation, income-generation, environmental conservation, promotion of small-scale rural enterprise programs, gender equality, youth development, and democracy promotion. Most recently, PDA has aggressively approached the problem of rural poverty by empowering the poor through the Village Development Partnership, which establishes a community-owned Village Development Bank for the purpose of microcredit. PDA’s involvement in the areas of Health, AIDS, Family Planning and income generation and poverty reduction has created significant change and helped the local people in the Buriram Province.

Wooden condoms (actually our room keys) =)

A statue at the restaurant ground.

We are spending three days and two nights in Buriram at the C&C Resort Nang Rong, Buriram. The experience here is different from staying at Bangkok; here we are one with nature, with natural surrounding that is calm and fresh, sceneries full of green, and the sound of flowing water.

Each of us were split into 2 to a room, except Shanaz who got a room to herself. Our room keys are shaped in the form of a condom, the rooms are furnished with the usual furnishings 2 beds, a dresser and bathroom.

The sign says it all.

The restaurant that is within the resort grounds has very naturalistic elements to it; it has a wooden structure and has a deck that overlooks a lake with a fountain in the middle. The walk to the restaurant is very calming as we walk through paths filled with plants and at night it is dimly lit to give it a very serene atmosphere. The food served is freshly cooked and extremely delicious.  

Mechai Viravaidya

Both the restaurant and resort were created to provide financial support for the Population and Community Development Association (PDA), Thailand's foremost nongovernmental charitable organisation. Money spent at this resort contributes to rural development, education and scholarship, HIV/AIDS education and environmental protection.

Amanda Sangeetha Thomas, 21 currently pursuing majoring in Communications and International Studies, suffers from sleep deprivation.