Alcohol and online campaigning

Welcome to the colorful world of Thai politics! Please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times as we begin this journey through the maze of colored-shirt specific politics. We've got names, colors, posters, and numbers for you to associate.

On one side, we have the red shirts, the UDD, supporters of Pua Thai (For Thai) and their top-ranked official, Yingluck Shinnawatra, youngest sister of ousted, criminally-charged, former prime minister, Thaksin Shinnawatra, Number 1:

Khun Yingluck

"Accelerate economic recovery
Select Pua Thai Government"

On another side, we have the now blue shirts, the Democrats led by Abhisit Vejjajjiva, Number 10:

Happy Abhisit

Concerned Abhisit

Don't vote in the people who did this...

On yet another side, we have the yellow shirts, the PAD, supporters of who knows but maybe Khun Abhisit now that he's withdrawn Thailand's commitment to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (really? who knew that the preservation of cultural and national heritage?) or supporters of not voting ("animals into Parliament") in the upcoming elections, partly Number 18:

"Don't vote animals into
Parliament"

Some other interesting characters play into the mix, although their color loyalty is not as clear: we have the (in)famous Chuwit Kamolvisit, the former "massage parlor" mogul turned politician whose main message appears to be, "I have lots of experience in being corrupt, so I'll be perfect for the government... at preventing corruption...", Number 5:

Angry, slightly crazy Chuwit...

Fun Chuvit?

Adds a new layer to the whole
politician kissing a baby...

One of the few posters in English

There's the Bhum Jai Thai party, the latest incarnation of a series of parties that apparently have been disbanded (despite my growing knowledge of Thai politics, I still don't understand all of the parties and their histories. The stability of the U.S. Democrats and Republicans is astounding - but maybe not when you consider the instability of the U.S. parties in the first few years as a democracy.), Number 16.

There's also the exercise party... I'm not sure what they're actually running for but many of their posters include people exercising or playing sports. There's also one with a guy and a panda, Number 2:

I don't know... a panda?

Pop quiz? Number 2? Number 5? Number 10?

Here are a few more bloggers who've talked about the awesome Thai campaign season:

• Changwat, Amphoe, Tambon
• Vaitor 
• Women Learn Thai
• New Mandala

And finally the coup de grace of the Thai electoral process: alcohol and online campaigning are banned from 6am Saturday (the day before the election) until midnight election day. I wonder what all those Twitterati will do until the ban lifts?

(PS I'm planning on taking many more election poster pictures and I'll try to post them before the ban comes into effect. Not that I think the Royal Thai Government is following my blog, but you never know exactly who might be reading it? [see Sierra Leone blog and the DHL representative who commented on another blog I worked on... I think I might be on a DHL blacklist now...])

Birthdays, jet lag, and catching up with the fam

Some pictures from my (2!) trips to the US:

From May, my great aunt Peggy's 90th birthday celebration

 My birthday twin (only 64 years apart :))

The great-nieces and nephews (Eileen, me, Nora,
David, Alexis, Colette)

The nieces and nephews (Roz, Bill, Maggie, Margie, Gene)

In my family, we celebrate birthdays in groups... so Aunt Peggy,
David and I have always celebrated our birthdays together!

From June, some pics with friends in DC, my poster at the HPTN annual meeting, and the "London Sheahans" visit to the US (moving on to my mom's side of the family):

The Lovely Lodge 10 Ladies (minus trlanichad and plus aakuip):
Ruth, Alyssa, Maham, me, Arie, Grace, and Doro!

Me and my poster... we match!

Arielle and Eric (yup, Little Mermaid couple) let me stay at
their beautiful house in Bethesda

Eileen, Courtney, Mom, Aunt Kate, Aunt Connie, Angela, Bree
Me, Meghan

No male cousins at this family gathering = no one
locked in closets or drinking milk with peas!
(Meghan, me, Eileen, Courtney, Bree)

Yes, they break out in song quite frequently, with dance moves!

After the whirlwind trips, I headed back to Bangkok, sister in tow, on a not-so-pleasant flight (has your flight ever had drainage issues???). I welcomed the warmth, although not the rain, of Bangkok. Next up... Koh Kret! 

My Thai teacher finds blonde jokes hysterical

Today in my Thai class, we were talking about proper manners in Thailand, like not touching strangers' heads and how to greet someone appropriately. We quickly downgraded to jokes, ending up with my teacher asking me why there are so many blonde jokes. I told her I didn't know but maybe it had something to do with Barbie? Then, she proceeded to tell me the following joke, looking very amused with herself:

Noi: "You know the story about the girl with red hair, the girl with brown hair, and the girl with blonde hair?"
Me: "No..."
Noi: "(giggling) One time the girl with red hair, the girl with brown hair, and the girl with blonde hair did something really bad, really really bad"
Me: "Ok..."
Noi: "So they were given to (hand motions of firing squad) because they did something so bad."
Me: "Really?"
Noi: "Really! So the soldiers are about to (firing squad hand motions) when the girl with red hair shouts, 'Storm!'"
Me: "She shouts, 'storm'?"
Noi: "Yes, and then she runs away! Then the (firing squad hand motions) is about to kill the girl with the brown hair and she shouts, 'earthquake!' and runs away!"

(pregnant pause)

Noi: "And then the (firing squad hand motions) are about to kill the girl with blonde hair and she shouts, 'FIRE!' and then they FIRE and she dies!"

(Noi laughing hysterically!)

 

 

It's not cold anymore...

Nope... we're just at the end of the hot season (ha! like all the other seasons aren't hot?) and the beginning of the rainy season. The beginning of torrential rains, ominous dark clouds, flash floods, and, if you can believe it, worse traffic. But, the onset of the rainy season also means lots of fresh fruits (mangoes, mangosteens, guava, rambutans, starfruit, and even durian). So while I now carry flip flops, a plastic bag, and an umbrella with me at all times, I'm well nutriated...

Since I last wrote (in any details besides about strange WHO jokes and straws), I have, as usual, been traveling quite a bit. (On a side note, plus one for Thailand.) After my family left, I had about a week before my next visitor, a friend from grad school came to visit. We headed down to Phuket (my first time there) for some rest and relaxation. I, being the experienced traveler that I am, packed the night before we left and forgot my camera. So here are a few of the pictures I have (stolen from Facebook) to document:

Our abode on the beach... see anything out of place?

Strange looking tree!

 

Nam Tok Bang Pae

Our kayak... right before I jumped into the
piranha infested waters!

Our guide grabbed this GIANT jellyfish!

Koh Dta pbu
(Nail Island, aka James Bond Island)

Somehow we ended up on a Russian-language tour...

Ok, so it's Charlie's Angels pose but...

And then I was a lazy bum for most of March... and I delighted in it! Although on Saint Patrick's Day, I did go out with my Thai teacher, Khun Noi, to get Mexican food. Only in Thailand!

With a looming U.S. government shutdown in early April, no one was sure if we would all be able to celebrate Songkran, or Thai New Year. While I am technically not an employee of the federal government, I thought it would be a bit nasty to take off traveling during Thai New Year if my Thai colleagues could not. Luckily, Congress did manage to actually fulfill their job and keep the government running. I headed to Burma, again. It truly is one of my favorite places in Southeast Asia and, if it weren't for the government, I think I could live there. I traveled with some great companions (good traveling companions really do make traveling much better!) and we headed to Yangon, Bagan, and Inle Lake. Here are some of my favorite pictures (I remembered my camera this time and took well over 600 pictures in my 5 1/2 days there):

Serena and me on the ferry in Yangon, spent mainly
entertaining all the kids with funny faces and noises

I feel so Thai - posing with things in parks ;)

Me and the Little Mermaid

Burmese Thingyan (New Year)
a mix of Songkran and Mardi Gras

Not sure why Bangkok Hospital advertises in Yangon?

We hiked all around the city and made it across a massive
traffic circle without getting hit by any of the many vehicles!

Why do my feet always get so dirty!?!?!?!
(Melissa, Serena, me)

In the Shwedagon

A good place to store your drink?

Some girls I made friends with hiking back down from the Shwedagon...
they would laugh hysterically until the camera was ready to take a
picture, then straightfaced, then laugh again ;)

Our first meal... which started hesitatingly then
just kept coming and coming and coming! So delicious!

On to Bagan

My one shot of kids preparing the douse someone else with water...
most times were spent avoiding children by any means necessary!

Dhammayangyi Temple

Beautiful Inle Lake

Shwe Inn Tain Monastery

Kid taking my 'picture'

A kid paddling with his foot.
I still don't understand how this works?

Thong Tho Monastery Complex

"Are U Tired of Rice?"

I then rested up before heading to the U.S. for the first time in almost a year, for my dear friend Jess's wedding in Asheville, NC, to see my family (especially my sister), and celebrate my great Aunt Peggy's 90th birthday (a special day we share). Here are the highlights:

Jess's bachelorette
we just happened to find a pig statue!

Katie S, Tiffany, and Georgia, with the hair all done up!

Of course, we had flip flops to match our multicolored sashes...
compliments of Ms. Vance

Ryan and me, team purple

Chris and Tiffany, team light blue

Me (purple), Katie S (dark blue), Tiffany (light blue),
Georgia (teal), Amanda (green), Karie (ivory), and the lovely
Ms. Vance preparing to be Mrs. Sutton :)

Me and trlanichad :)

And, so now I rest up until June 4th, when I head back to the U.S. again, for a meeting in DC. I probably won't write between now and then, but I might... so check back soon!