I have now been in the 'deep south' of Thailand for a week. This is the Muslim majority area of Thailand, afflicted with insurrection, whereby -- some -- of the local Muslim Malays wish to break away from Thailand and join with Malaysia.
a. I don't think that they would be any better treated, and
b. Malaysia seems entirely uninterested in their situation.
Today I got back from the province of Narathiwat ("NarA-thi-Wat"), the most dangerous of these provinces. Two days ago, when I arrived, there was a prison riot, in which several guards and many more prisoners were killed, plus a car bomb the next day, which killed a soldier. The roads leading into the capital city of the province (same name), are lined with soldiers, military vehicles, and guard posts. My bus was always slowing and swerving to get through these obstacles.
I do feel sorry for the soldiers. Young guys from all over Thailand, conscripted, stuck in a hot, boring job, waiting to go home before their number comes up.
Apart from the troubles Nara is not an exciting town. Very little to see, and in fact a rather boring town. Lines of low buildings, not much colour, few restaurants, lots of cheap bars. That gives the wrong impression of the place, there are schools, people going about their daily lives, and I am sure most folk there are good, but it is not a happy town. Very few smiles.
Having said that, the country side around is very pretty, that lush tropical jungle vibe. Also some great beaches, waterfalls and so forth. If the locals ever calmed down and decided to start ripping off tourists they could make some cash.
I am back now in my original hotel in Pattani. The CS Pattani, in the 'safer' province of Pattani. (On average, once a year a car bomb goes off in front of this hotel.) haw haw. I will stay here another day or two, relax (haha), then head north to the town of Hat Yai (big beach) and then to Bangkok.
I met the one farang (westerner) teaching English here in the deep south, from Ireland. He teaches at a uni in Pattani--The Prince of Songkhla. Bored with life in Euro, headed out to see what the world offered. I will most likely see him tomorrow before I head off.
Bangkok -- Thailand is having a national election on July 3rd, first since the military coup. Should be fun to watch, maybe fireworks !
Thoughts on travel:
a. recommended.
b. it does broaden the mind, wish I did more when I was younger.
c. you can see that everyone is people, just like you.
d. you get to see that people who are supposed to be different and strange, are not really. Case in point, Vietnam. When I was a kid the Vietnam War was on. The Viets were the evil commie enemy, intent on destroying all we hold dear -- crap. Just people, lied to and manipulated, just like we were.
e. you can get away from your problems--at least for a while.
f. everyone embellishes their travel stories.
a. I don't think that they would be any better treated, and
b. Malaysia seems entirely uninterested in their situation.
Today I got back from the province of Narathiwat ("NarA-thi-Wat"), the most dangerous of these provinces. Two days ago, when I arrived, there was a prison riot, in which several guards and many more prisoners were killed, plus a car bomb the next day, which killed a soldier. The roads leading into the capital city of the province (same name), are lined with soldiers, military vehicles, and guard posts. My bus was always slowing and swerving to get through these obstacles.
I do feel sorry for the soldiers. Young guys from all over Thailand, conscripted, stuck in a hot, boring job, waiting to go home before their number comes up.
Apart from the troubles Nara is not an exciting town. Very little to see, and in fact a rather boring town. Lines of low buildings, not much colour, few restaurants, lots of cheap bars. That gives the wrong impression of the place, there are schools, people going about their daily lives, and I am sure most folk there are good, but it is not a happy town. Very few smiles.
Having said that, the country side around is very pretty, that lush tropical jungle vibe. Also some great beaches, waterfalls and so forth. If the locals ever calmed down and decided to start ripping off tourists they could make some cash.
I am back now in my original hotel in Pattani. The CS Pattani, in the 'safer' province of Pattani. (On average, once a year a car bomb goes off in front of this hotel.) haw haw. I will stay here another day or two, relax (haha), then head north to the town of Hat Yai (big beach) and then to Bangkok.
I met the one farang (westerner) teaching English here in the deep south, from Ireland. He teaches at a uni in Pattani--The Prince of Songkhla. Bored with life in Euro, headed out to see what the world offered. I will most likely see him tomorrow before I head off.
Bangkok -- Thailand is having a national election on July 3rd, first since the military coup. Should be fun to watch, maybe fireworks !
Thoughts on travel:
a. recommended.
b. it does broaden the mind, wish I did more when I was younger.
c. you can see that everyone is people, just like you.
d. you get to see that people who are supposed to be different and strange, are not really. Case in point, Vietnam. When I was a kid the Vietnam War was on. The Viets were the evil commie enemy, intent on destroying all we hold dear -- crap. Just people, lied to and manipulated, just like we were.
e. you can get away from your problems--at least for a while.
f. everyone embellishes their travel stories.
wsoxfan:
I'm sure you'll be glad to be in one place for a while for some R&R. Even I need to slow down once in awhile.