When you sneeze, (Part Deux)

My friend Jeffrey guessed saying 'Hey, I already took a shower" meant "Cover your mouth. I don't wanna be covered with your mucous as I'm already clean!"

You know what? Jeffrey wasn't right. A lot of time, people cover their mouth or turn their face away from you before going at it.

What "Hey, I already took a shower" means is "Hey, I'm respectfully clean here. I don't smell. There's no reason for you to do that."

And, even though you didn't shower and might be the reason for somebody to sneeze, you can still say that. It is one of the lies that will never be questioned!


Joe

When you sneeze,

Here in Thailand, when you sneeze, people will say "Hey, I already took a shower". You know what that means?

Will give you the answer tomorrow!

27-Dollar NOKIA

A brand new NOKIA mobile that I bought the other day brought me joy on many levels. First of all, it is a gift for my Randy. His phone had died the previous week. The simple but cute item cost me only THB 890 or USD 27. It must sound dirt cheap in many parts of the world. It is ridiculously cheap for Bangkok too!!

As I said, my joy didn't stop there. Two of my colleagues - a maid & a driver to be specific - thought it was very sensible of me to get this phone. I guess what they meant by sensible is the fact that I, as someone who obviously makes a lot more money than they do, dare to buy this so 'uncool' phone. The idea of my (supposedly rich) white husband carrying this phone around town must be almost too soothing maybe. It must've made them feel more comfortable w/ what they're using. I'm glad as this seems to be the case.

I don't know if Thai people have always been this shallow and insecure but it saddens me everytime when I see this society look up to expensive gadgets and look down on those who can't afford them. I have nothing against those who can afford the newest things that have just hit the market. But, I have everything against those who say they cringe everytime when they have to take calls in public places with their inexpensive phone. The most common place in this case is the public buses. Can you believe it? Who the fuck do they think they can fool?

And, I have nothing against those Blackberry's or iPhones. I just find them rather unsexy. They look like the floppy ass of your middle-aged next door neighbor. Call my point of view sour grape if you will. Right now, I'm just gonna say "Viva La 27-Dollar NOKIA!'

SURPRISED

Much to my surprise and, of course, delight, Bangkok ranks No. 3 in this year's Travel & Leisure Magazine's best city list. I was convinced it would fall out of top million after what had happened last December & this April. What is it w/ this metropolis?

What is equally surprising is Chiang Mai is back in top 5 after it was nowhere to be seen in last year's list. Not that this and that poll really matters. Well, it doesn't matter when you don't make the final cut!

If you notice, you will see that I last wrote in Jan 09. I was too depressed and ashamed to bring myself to brag about this city. I thought Bangkok was done, over, finished, kaput...forever. The chaos in April further confirmed my conviction. But now this stupid poll?

Confused Joe

Yeah, it's hot but that's way too cool!

Ryan, our photographer guest from Denver, Colorado, has made an interesting comment on the general appearance of Thai people, something I had thought about but never said out loud.

Being from a cold climate as Ryan was, he found Bangkok a sweaty place. This year, we'd had a lot of rain and "winter" was creeping in. Apparently, our Thai 'winter' was a bit inadequate for our poor friend.

He was left wondering why Thai people were so "unadorned" when conditions of the weather could be so unbearable at times. From the way he saw it, Bangkokians could probably take good solace in sunglasses and/or hats. But
we don't. And do you wanna know why?

You could probably assume that cost is a reason. No, it's not the case.

Street vendors of Bangkok supply affordable odds and ends to the entire city. Reasonably-priced sunglasses of 150 Baht (USD 4.4 or Euro 3.3) or cheap, cheap hats of any factory design of 100 Baht (USD 3 or Euro 2.5) are just two items on this endless list.

Or you might try your guess that it's the being-used-to-it factor. Yes, but only to a certain degree. Just like how westerners will never be able to withstand the harshness of the cold weather w/ bare skin, Thai people will always find it intolerable to bear the glaring sun for too long. This is why air-conditioned malls are so popular in this culture. When it's not cool to don a pair of sunglasses or a hat when it is hot, people naturally turn to something else that other people disapprove of not.

Now, let me elaborate.

While Thai society is a free society in many respects (homosexuality for instance,) she is rather strict when it comes to how you should feel about the image you portray to other people. I'm talking about appearance and mannerism here. What this society always champions is the 'not-in-your-face, the quieter the better' attitude. Understatement is explicitly valued over ostentation. So, can a hat and a pair of sunglasses be too much?

Well, let's just put it this way. People here do not say it out loud but if the word is really squeezed out and put on paper so the whole world could read, it will either read Pretentious or Affected. "Where are you from? Your family has such a high standing? Or, you've graduated from abroad? Even so, is there really a need to go around advertising your social status w/ how you look?"

This thought alone of how other people might be viewing you keeps a lot of people away from those cool stands in the market. However, farangs are not subject to this "scrutiny." We Thai people have such an knack in discriminating against our own kind. So, don't worry. Wear a hat if you feel hot. Wear the flashiest pair of sunglasses if uncool you feel not.