Island Life

Update: I now have pictures of the island.

We think the guy that set up our boat trip to Ko Si Chang was a gangster. When we arrived at the pier at about 10:00 p.m., the last ferry had left and we were desperate to make it to the island that night. Big Justin refused to even consider staying on the mainland for the night. The gangster, with unkempt hair and a pompous authority, offered us a ride for 2,000 baht, or 60 dollars.

“All these boats mine,” he said as he pointed to a dozen speedboats as if he were a king.

Big Justin, Wadleigh, Canadian Justin and I refused to split such a ridiculous cost, so we tried communicated with the dozens of fishermen on their boats. We flashed 500 baht and told them our destination, and the fishermen were definitely interested. They kept glancing nervously at the speed boat guy. They looked terrified of him. We haggled fruitlessly for 15 minutes before one of the speed boat guys’ lackeys told us they found a boat for 1000 baht. We decided to go for it.

The possible gangster wanted his money right then, but we didn’t trust this slick-looking man. Fortunately, he thought it was acceptable to let us pay half now and half later. The four of us hopped on top of a slow-moving ferry and hoped that we wouldn’t be killed. Forty minutes later we arrived on the island after being driven through gentle waves, fierce darkness and dozens of large freighters. We were still alive.

Ko Si Chang isn’t the same place as Ko Chang, which I went to a couple weeks ago. It’s only a couple hours from Bangkok, and unlike Ko Chang, it isn’t too developed with tourism. There’s only one really nice beach, and there isn’t much of a night life. Still, the atmosphere and cultural sights are the main reason people go. The island seems mostly under the radar to most farangs, although there were a handful on the island.

There are cliffs and mountains all over the island, whether on land or leading into the tumultuous ocean water. The perfect water and vibrant plant life is so photogenic, as are some of the main sights of the island. The sprawling Wat Tham Yai Prik is built on a large hill, and there are also some caves used for meditation. An adorable nun gave us a tour and spoke excellent English. Canadian Justin is a Buddhist and already knew lots of stuff she was explaining to us, but I really appreciated all the things she taught us. I always felt terribly out of place whenever I visit a temple, although not so much anymore. Another great attraction was King Rama V’s old palace. The palace grounds are enormous and built on hills overlooking the ocean.

One of the most stunning places wasn’t even mentioned in any guide books. Next to a Buddha statue on a lonely, steep road was a somewhat obscured gate welcoming visitors. It must have been a small monastery because we saw some monk robes, but no monks. It was beautifully quiet, and the whole place was built under trees. When in Thailand, shade is a precious commodity. There was a short path that led to a steep cliff overlooking the entire island, and on the other end of the path was a stunning cave with a Buddha statue inside. The only living thing we saw in this place was an enormous monkey. I’m ashamed to admit it, but that was the first monkey I’ve seen in Thailand. They’re more elusive than I thought they were.

What we saw of the island life seemed really pleasant. We drank with some sketchy-looking yet friendly Thais in our bungalow, and as usual, we enjoyed renting motorbikes to get around the 5 kilometer long island. One night, Wadleigh went to the convenience store and received an interesting offer. Two ladyboys were sitting outside and as Wadleigh was paying for his food, their friend asked “sex?” to which Wadleigh replied “peanuts?” From what he told me, they seemed disappointed. After spending two weekends on different islands, I wonder if I’d be able to live someplace like that. Sometimes I honestly think I could.

The King and I

Thailand isn’t just a country- it’s also a Kingdom. The Royal Family, particularly His Majesty the King and his wife, are institutions of Thailand. The King’s real name is Bhumibol Adulyadej, and he also goes by His Majesty the King and Rama IX. Everywhere in the country there are signs of the people’s love for him and his family. On Monday, the crowds of people become seas of yellow, which is the King’s color. Many men wear lavish gold necklaces with the image of the king and a good majority of vehicles have window stickers expressing their love for him. Photos adorn practically every shop.

In my Thai Language and Culture class we had a discussion about Thai people and the King. The professor, a young Thai lady, said that the King is seen as the center of the country, and also the father. It’s no coincidence that Father’s Day and Mother’s Day in Thailand fall on the King and Queen’s birthdays. Since he is the father of the country, insulting him is seen as insulting the entire country. Every Thai resource I found before my departure specifically said not to insult the king. However, I’m fairly certain that there are laws with harsh penalties enforcing this taboo.

I was a little disappointed when I heard that the love for the King isn’t exactly 100% natural due to the law enforcement, but it’s still easy to be moved by all the adoration for the king. Book stores sell CDs of jazz music composed by the king, which he says to do to show his love for the people. Although he rarely interferes with politics, he does so in the time of crisis in support of the common people.

By far the most touching tribute is at the cinema. After half an hour of commercials that begin when the film should be actually starting, a short film on the king begins. Everyone in the crowd rises, and then a beautiful orchestra piece with a choir begins. Pictures of the king hung up in all aspects of Thai life, from country homes to city stores, are shown. We see the King as a photographer, newly crowned at the age of 23 and recent photos of him approaching his 80^th birthday, which is this December 5^th. At the end of the short film, the crowd nods their head in respect. It’s impossible not to be moved, but the following loud commercial which advertises an energy drink takes away from the effect.