Alitta

It’s June 27^th and it’s my 23th birthday today! It’s probably I’m getting old so I didn’t look forward to my birthday to come. It was a very wonderful day though

I started my special Friday with my mum and my younger sister in the early morning. We went to make merit by giving food offerings to three monks who usually drop by around my house area for their morning routine. We Thai commonly make merit on special occasions and also on one’s birthday. One of those monks asked if it was my birthday, I said yes and he started praying. It really made my day as I gained good thing on my birthday morning.

Thank you mum for getting up since 4 am to cook and arranging everything. Thank you dad for over 3 calls today and the most wanted wish ever (he wished me to be more beautiful everyday haha). Thanks doctor - my big sister for a call from the north. Thanks my younger sis for a birthday wish via msn at midnight though she was just upstairs.

I received a number of calls and sms from my friends since midnight till the end of the day, so I needed to say sorry to my colleagues and of course my boss for the whole-day cell phone rings.

Thank you so much Chris, my teenage boss, for a very lovely PINK bouquet which made me feel really girlish and a cute birthday card with my name incorrectly spelled on it haha just teasing!

Also, thank you Chris, Jock, Tom, Benz, all my colleagues for my birthday present tucked in a pink (again) box and delicious chocolate cake (with only one candle on it) which quite surprised me hahaha. Actually it was a big surprise to receive the birthday cake as I didn’t expect those four guys to mange this kind of thing by themselves when there was no girl around. A cake deliveryman came in the office saying he came to deliver cake and at that moment he was kind of ruining my surprise as I was sitting right there hahaha. Anyway, I really really appreciated you all and thanks again for the cake with my name correctly written on it

Anyway, I heard a poem when I was a kind saying that our birthday is a so-called death’s day of mum as she risked her life with our birth and yes, that’s so true!

Happy Birthday to Me and thanks mum for giving me birth~

In order to avoid serious traffic jams during rush hours in Bangkok especially in the area I work at, I need to use skytrain which is really packed in the early morning and in the evening after work yet it takes me only 15-20 mins. It’s better than being stuck in the traffic for hours though!

I have always experienced annoying things on the skytrain since I started relying on it many years ago. I reckon the similar things commonly happen in other countries as well.

The first thing that always gets me frustrated is when someone possesses a pole on the skytrain while others are likely to fall over the floor when the train is moving as they have nothing to hold. Don’t know if that person does it in purpose or he/she just doesn’t realise it’s a kind of selfishness.

The second thing I hate is when someone jumps the queue to enter the train! Bangkok skytrain is very busy and it’s like a mess when people are trying to catch the train as a few mins can cause them late at work or any appointments. People are being in queue and when the doors slid open, he/she comes from nowhere and suddenly gets into the train, people at the end of the queue are left outside the train, keep waiting for the next train to come!

Thirdly, when sitting guys are pretending they don’t see the old or pregnant women standing quite close to them. Guys will try to look on the screen, unpleasant views outside or wherever they won’t have an eye contact with the age and the pregnant women. It should be that last thing in the world all the guys do but……!!!

The fourth thing is noisy people! Of course they can talk on the train but they should be krengjai other passengers by not talking that loudly! Most of them are teenagers, they love showing off in public, I can understand that though as I’ve passed that period of time in my life

The last thing is people who seem to be afraid they won’t have a chance to get into the train if they don’t try to run through the crowd that is going out of the train. That’s really annoying as it’s hard enough to struggle my way out to the door when they train is packed, and I usually get mad when someone try to struggle themselves into the train while I’m trying to get out! They won’t die if they have to wait for a few more seconds!

Education and degrees do matter for Thai students while western people don’t really care about how educated people are (this is what I’ve heard). So a graduation ceremony is what Thai university students and their parents always look forward to. Getting a degree means a success in life and as for Thai society, it’s not only a value but it’s what can obviously be seen in every day life.

There are a number of state universities and private ones in Thailand and of course students who graduate from state universities usually gain more advantage in applying for a job as they are the very first choices for several companies.

The graduation ceremony is also held at the different period of time for different universities. The person who gives the degree certificate is also the different ones. For some universities, it’s an honour to get the degree certificate from a royal family member while some university students get it from the president of their university.

It’s the proudest moment for those students and their parents as the degree commonly means their efforts capabilities and IQ.

On the ceremony, apart from attending the hall to get the certificate, when the ceremony is done, it’s time for taking photos and each the graduate will hire their private photographer, some of which are professional while some are the graduates’ friends. They also invite loads of their old friends, cousins and their juniors in the uni to join them in hundreds of photos

Check it out! One of the most funniest Japanese game shows I’ve ever seen! The Japs are really admirable and totally creative! Genius!

Thailand seems to be really open to homosexual people every day and this really mounts the number of those queers. Tonight, MIss Tiffany’s Universe Contest #11 was held in Chonburi, Pattaya, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand. It’s been more than 10 years the country has held this kind of beauty contest. What on earth the point is?!?!?!

I was watching the contest as I just washed my hair so I couldn’t go to bed. Anyway, I heard the MC informing the objectives of the Miss Tiffany Contest; To promote the country’s famous spot - Pattaya to be an international attraction. To break the gap between straight and homosexual persons, or to say try to urge people to sincerely accept the way the queers are. The winner will be representing Thailand in the Miss International Queen 2008 which will also be taken place in Thailand.

I’m not against them or anything but for me, the 30 finalists still look maculine, well, not that much manly but they are obviously lads!

Some of the questions for them;

Q: Can homosexual people work in politics?
A: Of course as we are humans who are as valuable as others.

Q: Do you think using a gay character on TV soap opera really influence more people to become a transvestite?
A: Being a gay is not that easily passed from one person to others but it’s a subconscious in childhood. Also, please do not act like we are a fool particularly in the media.

Q: In school, if you were required to wear a boy school uniform and have your hair cut, what would you do?
A: I would absolutely abide by the school rules. Though we are gay, we are educated as well as other men.

Q: If you win the contest, who are you abruptly going to in the next morning?
A: I will go to see my parents to thank them for giving me birth and for not reprimanding me for being like this.

The photo above is the winner of Miss Tiffany’s Universe 2008…Congratulations!

During the political turmoil in Thailand, I came across a good news which was really worht spending my time on.

Today His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej delivered a valuable speech to Thailand’s Ambassador to other countries. I actually dared not translate the Royals words to English but I just wanted to share it to worldwide and let people know why he’s earned a place in everyone’s heart.

His speech was partly about a proud of being a Thai, the Thai style behaviour that make foreigners realize the Thais are unique and wise, the balance of agricultural process, creation of understanding and getting prepared for natural disasters.

Some part of the speech;

“…..We have to well behave to let people know we are Thais who are different from others….We are not weird but unique with our good thinkings……”

” You just can’t run away from any natural phenomena such as an eathquake which can happen anywhere in the world even in Thailand, you just have to get yourself prepared. I’ve been in an earthquake in Chiang Mai, I was sick at that time and had to lie down under a table which is the right way to do when an earthquake happens……Thailand is considered a lucky country as there have been not many and severe natural disasters so far…..” 

Well, for non-Thai readers - you might not find the speech really impressive (possibly because of my translation) but for the Thais - we are always well aware how priceless HM the King’s speeches are.

Long Live His Majesty The King

Finally, the Chinese rescuers have stopped their charge on rescuring Sichuan victims after the two-week mission. The last one who got rescued was a man found under a collasp building after being buried for 9 days. The death toll hits 60,000, four thousands kids lose their parents and millions Chinese become homeless.

I watched the news on TV two days ago, the rescuers discovered a man under the debris and he said he had drunk his pee and had tissue paper for 6-7 days in order to live his life. The man said he remembered reading a book which mentioned eating tissue paper and pee. Also, some other survivors ate earthworms and survived!

What kind of other dishes recommended for this kind of situtaion?

Anyway…..Rest in peace…..

Here we go again! As of May 20, 2008, Thailalnd is ranked #118 out of 140 of the least peaceful countries in the world and #9 in AEASN just ahead of Burma according to the report conducted by The Global Peace Index.

Thailand’s state of peace is rated very low thanks to the country’s severe crimes, the tendency of demonstration that might cause the violent, the respect of human rights which draw Thailand to be near bottom on Peace Index.

It’s such a paradox! The national anthem sings ‘Thais love peace’ but political contradiction and high level of crimes have been the country’s big problems for years.

Anyway, Iceland is the world’s most peaceful country, followed by the top 9 - Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, Japan, Ireland, Portugal, Finland, Luxembourg and Australia.

Before I got the first job in my life, I had never thought it would be difficult to work with foreigners. Now, I realize that I’m completely wrong. However, no one is to blame for this kind of problem and things bit by bit get better I am sure.

People from different corners of the world of course have different minds and thoughts. I’m a Thai while my boss is British who is quite open. Thai people have a unique way to express the feeling, ideas, needs etc. They are not really open as they ‘Krengjai’, the word I’ve never been able to translate to an English single term.

‘Krengjai’ is a common habit of the Thais who dare not speak out or do something since they care and are afraid it could hurt someone’s feeling. The habit makes the Thais sweet and super friendly human being and I can’t deny that I really love the way Thai people are. However, I’m now trying pretty hard not to stick with that kind of habit as I need to be more open so that I can happily work here

It’s been six months since the first day I started working, I’m really cool with everything - assignments, colleagues, my boss, the office and so on. I’m now learning not to Krengjai, but hope it won’t become my permanent habit!!

Some says it’s photophopped, it’s cute though!