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Hermanolobo
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I had a dream. In the dream I was visiting Thailand after a break
of about three years. I walked down Soi 4 Nanatai past what was N.E.P, it had become a shopping centre.There were pictures of Premier Thaksin everywhere, Thailand had become a Republic. The open bar in front of the
Nana Hotel had become a fast pizza franchise. I then caught the Skytrain and Subway to Soi Cowboy. The bars and Go-go's had gone and except for a couple of restaurants it was a pedestrian street full of ladies clothes and shoe shops. Another trip on the Subway and Sky train with their warnings of heavy fines for dropping chewing gum and cigarettes brought me to what was Chatuchak Market, it had become a large bus station. Undeterred I travelled to Patpong in the evening to look for some designer copies and cheap CD's. Patpong had become a couple of streets with expensive shops and the market stalls had disappeared. A fading sign said 'Fight Piracy!'
The shops had closed at 6pm and there was not a cheap CD or cheap anything in sight. Everywhere the Thais looked wary and glanced away not wanting to return eye contact. Cowed and serious the smiles had gone. I took some money from an ATM with retinal recognition, the money exchange shop next door quoted Euro's, the pound sterling had disappeared. As in Hong Kong the Thais mostly used electronic cards instead of money. Bangkok had become as expensive as Europe. The streets were spotlessly clean and the beggers and stray dogs had disappeared. A smartly dressed policeman seemed to be on every street corner, they were checking bags as there had been an alleged terrorist alert. CCTV cameras were beginning to sprout like mushrooms and monitored the progress of cars digitally. Cars were charged to drive in Bangkok, their journeys tracked electronically. In the dream I watched a policeman fine a pedestrian for dropping a cigarette end. On the way back to my hotel I past a book shop the newspapers outside had full front page coverage of European Federation President Blair meeting Premier Thaksin to discuss the Asian Union, big smiles all round.
My hotel was quiet and the staff appeared polite but subdued as if frightened of something. A sign in the almost empty hotel bar said 'Closes at 10pm' the staff looked bored or sad.
The next day I took a luxury aircon bus to Pattaya to look up an old friend. I walked through Soi Diamond to get to Walking Street. The Go-go's and bars that were left were closed and boarded up. A sign outside my friend's Go-go had faded with age. It stated that he had gone back to 'NZ' and then gave a barely readable address. Walking Street had become a fashion shopping precinct rather like Bond Street in London. Again pictures of Premier Thaksin dominated public areas,they had replaced Rama V, echoes of North Korea. There was not a Farang in sight. The bars had gone.
Where the Thai Boxing ring and 'Dolls House' Go-go had been there was now a shopping mall. The escalator that led to the 'Peppermint A-Go go' now led to a designer shoe shop and a Macdonalds. Stone faced security guards stood where once there were 'service girls'. The ladyboy disco now sold ice-cream.
I saw shops offering 'Traditional Massage Only'. The word 'only' was made to stand out. No girl asked if I wanted to come in. Just like Bangkok the Thais looked serious and cowed, afraid to make eye-contact with a Farang, I felt like an outcast. A group of neatly dressed school children scurried past, they wore badges on their uniforms which said 'Young Pioneers' in English and Thai.
Suspicious eyes flicked in my direction. I awaited denouncement.
Beach road was full of families from India, Australia and what looked like Malays or Indonesians with their muslim attire. At least there were a few Australian farangs, I couldn't miss the accent. A large sign invited you to 'DisneyAsia'-Pattaya only 10kms away. Accompanying that sign was another triumphanting Thai rice production for the 'Asian Union'. Most of the bars on Beach Road and the Soi's had gone, the girlie bars had been replaced by either hotels or expensive shops run by Indians. There were a few Swiss and Belgian restaurants but few Farangs in them. Other bars had become fashionable ice-cream parlours all fighting for trade. Like Bangkok everywhere looked spotlessly clean. One bar had a sign saying No singing, No dancing. There wasn't any music and the televisions showed endless football matches or programmes on farming. It reminded me of Greece under the Colonels. Dismayed and with a heavy heart I returned to Bangkok and then to the airport cutting my holiday short. Arriving at Don Muang another sign proclaimed that the new airport 'Thaksin International' was due to open on time in 2010, they were now using the western calendar.
A awoke in a cold sweat, it was after all just a dream.
Strange dreams and nightmares are made of unusual things.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:27 am on Feb. 1, 2004
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aeroman
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Wow that is some scary shiet. What do you do before you fall asleep? Maybe time to change up the meds?
Right now the great Oz is peering rather sheepishly around the curtain. He might have soiled his pants a little with the way he handled the south and the flu! Only time will tell, but people don't forget and BKK is not LOS. So much for 400!
Thanks for the interesting and enjoyable reading! An odd little look into your psyche!
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 10:16 am on Feb. 1, 2004
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Basil Bush
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Quote: from Hermanolobo on 3:27 pm on Feb. 1, 2004
I had a dream.
...and with a heavy heart I returned to Bangkok and then to the airport cutting my holiday short...
And I bet you could not get a flight out because all seats were taken by “Thai Rak Thai” party members getting out of Thailand for a bit of nokki.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:26 am on Feb. 1, 2004
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stuckinapub
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that was not a dream
somehow you entered into thaskins mind when you was asleep and saw
The World Acording to Taskin (TWAT)
if you can repeat the experiance for James Randi then your up for the $1,000,000 prise hes offering for any proven act of the paranormal
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 11:31 am on Feb. 1, 2004
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bar wa
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Quote: from Hermanolobo on 3:27 pm on Feb. 1, 2004
I had a dream.
woooo what a nightmare! hmmm.. somehow it reminds me of singapore 
o my god!! hope they dont rename thailand......siampore  
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 11:36 am on Feb. 1, 2004
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aircrest
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The dream is not as far fetched as you were believe. Years back there were places in Asia and the Orient that were great playgrounds. They no longer exist or you cannot afford what little is left.
Thank God this was only a dream
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 11:42 am on Feb. 1, 2004
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Deleted Member
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Hermano, sometimes we want to live in (self) content ignorance. You gave me shivers.
You better have some serious reports about an alternative from Rio or elsewhere, as long as you spoil our Sunday dinners with Scare-Stories lack that!
Taksin (now re-named TWAT) - the Freddy Krueger of morality in LOS -Kills Fun for the fun of it.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:13 pm on Feb. 1, 2004
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