Entering Red Shirt Territory

Tuesday, July 6, 2010--Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima

Thailand trains are not the best, although they are discussing a plan to build high-speed rail here. In the meantime, they have a system that hasn't changed much in 50 years or so. The trains are very slow, especially in leaving Bangkok where the trains often have to wait at intersections where cars in heavy traffic are backed up across the tracks. Also, Thai trains still stop at very small stations. Today, I traveled 256 km (about 150 miles) from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima. It took 5 hours arriving about 45 minutes late! But taking the train saved me from having to go far out to the edge of Bangkok to the bus station, and it saved me from arriving far out on the edge of town here. Most cities in the world have built new bus stations on the edges of town that are very inconvenient to use. So the reliable in-town train stations can be an advantage even if the trains are slow.

It began raining about an hour before we arrived here. Then there was a heavy downpour as I had to exit the train and cross the tracks to the station. I just had a seat in a chair and read a couple of chapters in my book while waiting for the skies to clear some.

After a rain in Thailand, however, clear skies is not enough. The drainage system is so bad here that water can be standing everywhere making it difficult to walk anywhere. I maneuvered my way toward the hotel I had chosen by walking in the street, often having to edge my way all the way to the stripe separating the inside and outside lanes of the street because of huge standing puddles. Fortunately, traffic was not bad and no cars splashed me. But I did suffer another problem that I hate when it rains here. At one point when I was walking on the sidewalk, I stepped on a loose sidewalk tile which squished out a sloppy, muddy mixture onto my shoe, sock, and leg. Fortunately, I was wearing shorts, so it didn't cause me to have to wash any pants. I just dusted the mess off my leg after it dried.

I had read about a hotel on wikitravel that sounded nice. My guidebook for Thailand is 10 years old, so there have to be newer places to stay than what it lists. An entry made in wikitravel in February of this year said:

Sansabai House, 335 Suranaree Rd. (From the Ratchadamnoen Rd end, go down Suranaree Road, straight across the junction with Buarong Rd, past the turning for Burin Rd, the hotel is on your left, nearly opposite a 7/11 store.), ☎ +66 (0) 44255144 (sansabaikorat@yahoo.com), [8]. Clean rooms, centrally located with a lot of street food stalls nearby. As of Feb 2010 room with a fan, fridge, cable tv, free wlan, balcony, closet, small table with chairs and own western toilet / shower for 270 bahts. Air-con etc. a bit more..

It proved to be right. The place is clean and attractive. I got an a/c room for about $14 per night, since the weather is so hot and humid right now. It also has its own hot water heater.

I explored the sidewalk restaurant stalls around 18:30 and found one that was amazingly clean. I had chicken with rice. They gave me a special sauce to go over it, and I added some chopped peppers. It also came with a bowl of spicy chicken broth. It was the same meal I had eaten the night before in Bangkok, but the portions were larger, the food fresher, and the price cheaper!

Nakhon Ratchasima is one of the centers for the Red Shirt movement. They are the protesters who occupied Bangkok in the spring and created such a problem for the government. They tend to be poor people, and this part of Thailand is its poorest section. They are fighting against the uneven distribution of wealth and opportunities in Thailand. Unfortunately, they have tied their protests to support for a former prime minister who was corrupt. He's in exile and has been found guilty in court of corruption. But he did things to make the poor people like him. It's too bad the protesters are still trying to support him, because it undermines all their efforts. Anyway, things are quiet here. There is no danger. The movement has essentially gone underground for the time being.