Sunday 21st of December 2014 and it is time for yet another photo walk. And this time Photo Walk #34 will take us to Tha Chalom and the train leaves from Wongwian Yai Train Station 7 o'clock in the morning. The train will take us to Mahachai. When we arrive in Mahachai, we will go directly to the ferry boat to the village of Tha Chalom. Our walk will circle around this charming village of fisherman with their interesting dwellings and many unique sights.
One of the more interesting temples along our walk is the one devoted to Guan Yin or the Goddess of Mercy one of the most revered deities in Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism practised in Asia. She is renowned for her purity, kindness and compassion. It promises to be a unique walk around the peninsula occupied by Tha Chalom. We will never be far from the sea and at high tide we will see how global warming could impact Thailand.
While I'm enjoying myself in Tha Chalom you can read Bangkok Post. Just as we had forgotten all about the “Red Buffalo” stickers they have come up with new stickers.
Never a dull moment in Thailand, just to read the online news. And there is no stopping on the complains about the Chinese tourists and their behaviour. South China Morning Post have had a few articles about the subject.
We remember the Air Asia a few days ago, they had to turn around and go back to Bangkok and there are 2 more incidents to read about in the South China Morning Post. So go ahead, enjoy your reading while I'm in Tha Chalom to take pictures with Bangkok Photographers.
Crying baby sparks brawl among women passengers on Hong Kong flight
Yes, we have different standards in Europe and Asia. If we behaved like this in Europe/ USA we would have ended up on a NO FLY black list and we would have ended up in jail. And talking about difference, we had a fire drill at the condo yesterday. I had forgot all about it.
I was in the shower when I heard a strange sound from my bed room. Sounded like noise from the TV, the very same sound you have in the start of the HBO series or whatever they are called. I looked out from the shower and my TV was off. They sound came again and I got scared and I looked at the TV again. And yes, the TV was still off and I was afraid the TV were going Poltergeist on me.
I almost shat in the shower when it happened the third time. Now I was worried and scared, I have heard a lot of stories about ghosts in Thailand. What the foock is going on? I was too scared to stay in the shower and back in my bed room I made sure that my TV was off yet another time.
I was relieved when I realised that we were going to have a fire drill today, and they had obviously started and the sound was from when they discharged CO2 extinguishers on the parking lot. I got dressed in my training clothes and went to check out the fire drill.
They were ready when I arrived and it was picture time and I joined the photographers taking picture. There was a document that was handed over and this was obviously something to take a picture of. I never had a chance to see the fire drill, but it looked like they have practiced to extinguish a fire in a gas bottle and an oil fire.
Time to take pictures
Time to take pictures
Time to take pictures
Time to take pictures
Burning oil and they used the same trey as we use on the firefighting courses, of course they used a smaller trey. I was flabbergasted when they just poured out the water from the trey on the parking lot. I shouted at them and they put down the trey again.
I asked them what they had used for fuel and they told me that they have used gasoline. Well, to me it looked like gasoil (gasoil is very dangerous) and that is even worse than gasoline. They told me it was so little and it would be mixed with plenty water and they poured out the rest of the water/ fuel mix on the parking lot. I got upset.
I asked him if the gasoil were going to the river
- Yes
- Then the fish eat it and then your children eat it
- It is very little!
Amazing, 2014 and people still don't understand the danger of polluting the environment. And this is supposed to be a well-trained fire fighter.
- How many of these drills do you have in Bangkok per year? How much shit will this add up to?
And the maids on the condo is for sure not loving me any more today. I was complaining and suddenly they had all the maids on the parking lot cleaning up the shit. Rubber squeegees and a fire hose.
The Fire Chief came to me and he pointed at the parking lot. He told me that it would soon be clean.
Yeah, why the foock bother trying to explain anything. And to make things worse they brought out a scrubbing machine and all the maids started to brush the parking lot adding the chemicals to the gasoil. The gasoil and the cleaning chemicals were soon on the street.
From there it was down the sewers, and from there: The River - Fish eat it - Fish end up on our plates - You make baby and baby comes out with 11 fingers and an extra eye in the middle of the foocking forehead.
NW Europe and if you would have done something like this you would have ended up with a hefty fine. Well, there are soon no companies left to pollute the environment in Europe, they have all left. And the nitwits running the European Union are talking about getting the Europeans back to work.
Yeah, when we can pollute like they do in Asia and when we have free access to slave labours.
And they have almost managed with the slave labour bit, Sweden are full of immigrated people that works for almost free. And on top of that many of them are cheated on their salary. European Union are so concerned about the unemployment and at the same time it is allowed to bring in people from countries where they work for a fraction of a Swedish salary. They work in restaurants, construction etc. as we cannot move these jobs to China.
Not only do the work for nothing, they don't require any safety equipment and we have cheap labour falling like apples from tree at the construction sites in Sweden now. All this while the Swedish construction workers, truck drivers etc. are unemployed as they are too expensive, both with salary and safety equipment/ regulation.
I listened to an interview on the Swedish Radio on internet, and as usually the Swedes think that Swedish companies are good and concerned about the safety and well-being of their workers. The only reason they are concerned in Sweden is because of the legislation, otherwise they could not care less. I think it was the owner of H&M they interview and this guy had expected some “kick ass” questions and he was nervous. The interviewer asked him if it was possible that Swedish companies moved to the third world countries brought some of the Swedish well-being for employees and safety thinking.
Internet turned silent and I could hear the guy that was interviewed screaming of joy in his mind. A question like this was like winning the lottery. The police was shooting and arresting textile workers in Cambodia and Bangladesh. And he answered:
- Yes, of course, we bring goodness to the workers in Bangladesh and Cambodia!
Slave labours, I'm sorry, it doesn’t exist anymore. They have come up with something that they call MINIMUM WAGES. So H&M pays (2013) about 40 US Dollars per month, MINIMUM salary and the money required to live are 150 US Dollars per month. I'm sorry, I cannot help myself and I call it slave labour. Go on strike!
Yeah, no problem if you live in NW Europe (at least so far) but in Bangladesh and Cambodia they got shot and arrested. And they have to continue to work all day long with a salary that won't even feed you. It is worse than slavery and it would be better to be a slave as you were at least feed. You represented a value for your owner and they would lose money if you starved to death.
An overview of the China Blue
What and disgrace European Union is, talking about unemployment and this is allowed. And they tell
China Blue
is a 2005 documentary film directed by Micha Peled. It follows the life of Jasmine Li, a young seventeen-year-old worker from Sichuan province, in a Chinese jeans factory, Lifeng Clothes Factory (丽锋服饰制衣有限公司) in Shaxi, Guangdong producing Vigaze Jeans (a company based in Istanbul, Turkey), hence the title. Jasmine earned about half a yuan for one hour's work (which amounted to about six US cents).
The documentary discusses both the sweatshop conditions in factories in China and the growing importance of China as an exporting country on a global scale.
At the 2005 Amnesty International film festival, it won the Amnesty International-DOEN Award. In April 2007 China Blue aired on the award winning PBS series Independent Lens.
us that we must be a member in EU or we cannot export and all our jobs will disappear abroad. Yeah, China is not a member of European Union and they have managed to take over almost all the European manufacturing job.
I was at FALCK Nutec for a fire fighting course in Malaysia. FALCK is a Danish company and according to internet they kept Danish standard.
We were asked, no, they were almost begging us to send them NEAR MISSES and other observation regarding the safety and environment to them via e-mail. They needed this for improvements as they were aiming to be the #1 company regarding safety and green environment.
We were having a break and we were having a chat in the coffee area. One of the Instructors told us about an accident a few weeks back.
- What the ACCIDENTS!!?? I said pointing at the board.
There was a huge board stating that they had been running the place for 700 days
Days without accidents: 700
Yes, you see them outside every construction site. I told him that according to the board there had never been any accidents.
- Ah! That is for show! We have had several accidents!
And they treated the oil/ water mix the same way they had done here at the condo yesterday. They pumped it out to the drains outside the FALCK's training site.
I spotted it by accident, they had drains around the site and one day I saw water coming out from the site through a pipe. I asked the Instructors what it was and they told me it was the water we had used extinguished the fire with. Plus of course the fuel used for the fire.
I asked where the drainage ended and they told me it ended up in the sea. I told them that the drain was full of oil and they told me that they knew.
- It is killing the fish
- Why don't they stop?
- We have tried, but maybe if you report it
Yes, they were on me all the time to report it and I did, this is now several years ago and no answer. And that is even though FALCK Nutec begged us to report everything.
My alarm went off at 5 o'clock and I will not have time for even the quickest cuppa. We will meet at Wongwian Yai/Mahachai Train Station at 7, or as I understand it, the train departs at 7 o'clock. So a quick shower and I was off to look for a taxi to take me to the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River.
I brought my old suitcase with me. I will throw the darn thing in the garbage room on the way to go look for a taxi. I gave away 2 other bags yesterday as I bought new bags when I was in Africa and my apartment is full of bags.
I was very lucky, I found a taxi outside the condo and we were soon on our way. No cars on the road, or very few cars as it was 6 o'clock in the morning. I had only had 2 apples for breakfast so I was hungry and I asked the driver to stop at a Family Mart.
They didn't had any bread I liked, so I only bought two bottles of orange flavoured drinking yogurt.
We were soon on our way again and we arrived to Wongwian Yai Train Station quarter past 6 o'clock. 15 minutes from Sukhumvit Soi 23 to Wongwian Yai is not bad. I had made a mistake, I didn't realised that it was Sunday until I was sitting in the taxi and the trip was much much quicker than I had calculated with. Imagine if this was the kind of traffic in Bangkok on weekdays
The traffic in Bangkok is almost as bad as it was pre 1997 by now and I hesitate to get out. I like to walk around but I like to get a taxi back home. Getting a taxi is a hassle and to get back home can take a very long time being stuck in the traffic. So I'm not exactly as eager to get out on town as I used to be. It would be nice with a 1997 crash all over again so the streets becomes empty again.
Well, I got out of the taxi and I didn't realised that I was at the train station until I spotted a single train track after having walked along the track for 50 meters.
It looked more like a market than a train station. I crossed the track and I was soon on the platform and there was no sign of any other members of Bangkok Photographers. I asked I girl selling for if she knew where they sold bread. She pointed down the platform and she told me that there were bread available further down.
I walked down the platform and I was soon stumble upon a girl making toast. I bought 4 of them and I enjoyed them on the platform with my orange flavoured drinking yogurt.
There was a train arriving and the train left after a few minutes again. I learned that the station only served Mahachai and there is a train every hour or so between Wongwian Yai and Mahachai. When I was ready with my breakfast I saw the first of the Bangkok Photographers arriving down the platform. We walked around the station looking at people while waiting for the rest of the group to arrive.
Train arriving to Wongwian Yai Train Station
Train arriving to Wongwian Yai Train Station
Early morning at Wongwian Yai Train Station
Early morning at Wongwian Yai Train Station
Early morning at Wongwian Yai Train Station
Early morning at Wongwian Yai Train Station
Early morning at Wongwian Yai Train Station
Early morning at Wongwian Yai Train Station
Train leaving Wongwian Yai Train Station for Mahachai
Train leaving Wongwian Yai Train Station for Mahachai
Early morning at Wongwian Yai Train Station
Ticket office at Yai Train Station
Buying a one way ticket to Mahachai - 10 Baht
Buying a one way ticket to Mahachai - 10 Baht
Ticket office at Yai Train Station
Ticket office at Yai Train Station
Early morning at Wongwian Yai Train Station
Early morning at Wongwian Yai Train Station
Early morning at Wongwian Yai Train Station
Our train arrives to Wongwian Yai Train Station
We board the train
At 6 thirty there were a few of us at the Wongwian Yai Train Station and we bought our tickets, one way ticket to Mahachai was 10 Baht. I asked for a AC car and 10 Baht was very cheap for the trip to Mahachai.
Our Organiser arrived to the train station and not long after that we saw the train arriving. There was one AC car but the rest of the group got on board the normal car and I joined them.
The car was full but I got a seat next to another guy from Sweden that I had met on the platform earlier. He had asked me if I was from Sweden, in Swedish. I asked how he knew that I was form Sweden.
The train left at 07:00, on the minute and we were on our way towards Mahachai. 10 Baht for the ticket and you could not expect much of a comfort. No AC in this car and after 10 minutes on the seat my arse was sore and I decided to make a move for the AC car. I looked at the platform between the cars and as the ride was at least to say “wobbly” I decided to wait until we made a stop.
Trying to pass between the cars during the ride would most likely ending with me on the track between the cars. A drama I can live without, at least until I have seen the polar bears and iceberg next year.
I sat down again even though my behind was sore. And I was hoping for us to reach a station very soon. It was mostly people from Bangkok Photographers in our car and by now I recognised quite a few of them.
As soon as we stopped I was off to the AC car, and I was lucky, the AC car was the next car in front of us. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the car was empty. Well, there were 2 other passengers in the other end of the car. And the seat was much more comfortable than in the other car.
I was enjoying the train ride even though I was scared. We didn't made much speed, but sometimes the cars jumped and it felt like we were airborne.
- Please, let us land on the track!
Almost 30 years since I was on a train in Thailand, when I arrived to Thailand for the first time. I always wanted to get back on a train again. But as with the buses in Thailand, I think I will give it a skip from now on.
The AC car was empty
We make a stop - And we notice that it was quite some time since the washed the windows
We make a stop - And we notice that it was quite some time since the washed the windows
More passengers are joining me
Ticket-collector checking our tickets and I have to pay 15 Baht extra for the upgrade
What a disgrace to destroy a country like this
Thailand destroyed by garbage
Thailand destroyed by garbage
Thailand destroyed by garbage
Arrived to Mahachai train station
I sat down in the AC car and the ticket-collector came to have a look at my ticket. It was an additional fee of 15 Baht for the upgrade and I was happily handing him the money. I got 2 tickets and I was soon left alone. We passed a beautiful landscape, well, could have been beautiful.
The landscape looked like a landfill, so much garbage laying all over the place. Amazing how stupid people can be, yes, I'm not afraid to stick out my chin here. I blame it on stupidity and education. Same on the Philippines, a beautiful country destroyed by garbage, shit, stupidity and uneducated. Well, I don't know if education has anything to do with it.
Even though you have ZERO education you should be able to appreciate a clean environment, at least your own neighbourhood, but no. Throw the shit were you sit or stand. Oil and chemicals, they have disappeared as soon as the last drop is down the drain.
Yeah, it is like magic, where did all the dangerous chemicals go? Abracadabra and they are gone!
NO! THEY WILL END UP ON OUR CHILDRENS PLATE! NITWIT! So let's see how your grandchildren turns out! I asked the other passengers and they told me that Mahachai was the last station so I just followed them off the train when they got off. I stepped right in to a market and it was NOT the smell of any summer flowers in the air.
Mahachai is a fishing town so they sold fish everywhere and it was FUNKY. And I don't mean FUNKY as in Aladdin's TAXI CD!
I was running out on the street. Our Organiser had been in my car looking for others in the group and he told me to get out on the street at arrival and we would meet there. He had been here before and he knew that there were no platform at the station. Well, there was a platform, but they sold stuff there so this was not an option for a meeting point.
The street was also very crowded and I was there waiting. I guy came up to me and he said hello Aladdin. I meet him with my friend from School last time we were out drinking beer. And he told me he had seen me at the Talat Rot Fai Photo Walk and thus I knew that he was a member in Bangkok Photographers.
We walked up to the ferry station but the other in the group stopped down the road and they waved at me to come back. We walked back and we went in to a berth for fishing boats unloading fish. It was time for the group picture.
Busy on the street
NO! I'm not single
Ferry station in Mahachai
Selling food outside the ferry terminal
We try to get the group together for a picture
Unloading fish
Our Organiser trying to get the group in line for a picture
We have to cross this dangerous water to reach Tha Chalom
We're leaving Mahachai
Soon in Tha Chalom
Girl on the jetty in Tha Chalom
Girl on the jetty in Tha Chalom
Passengers waiting to get on board in Tha Chalom
Today's itinerary
We walked back to the group and we took a few pictures of the fishing boat unloading the fish and when they left we took the group picture. Now we could go to the ferry terminal 2 minutes away. We had to pay 3 Baht for the ticket to cross the water to Tha Chalom. And that took us a few minutes.
We meet on the road outside the ferry place and we would turn left from the ferry place and we would walk around the peninsula.
There was a train back to Bangkok at 11:45 and if we stayed for lunch there was a train leaving at 13:15. And they had planned to go for lunch on the 2nd floor in the house next to where we had our group photo. Well, let's see what time it is when we're back in Mahachai. We took of on the south side of the Tha Chalom peninsula.
I like these Photo Walks, OK, maybe not the Photo Walks in the markets. But when we walk like this it is pretty nice and we discover new areas of Bangkok and the surrounding areas. And there are nice people to speak with. And the Thai people were very friendly here. I have never seen so many people, well, all of them with children. They had their children to wai me when I stopped to chat with them.
Quiet Sunday in Tha Chalom
Suddenly, a wedding
Fer foock's sake! Pick up the foocking garbage and put some paint on our house!
Fer foock's sake! Pick up the foocking garbage and put some paint on our house!
Beautiful street lights
Wat Suttiwat Wararam
Wat Suttiwat Wararam
Wat Suttiwat Wararam
We walked South until we reached Wat Suttiwat Wararam. Well, most of the group was way behind us. I ended up with a guy from Sweden and an American guy. We crossed the main road at Wat Suttiwat Wararam and we started walking East on the North side of Tha Chalom peninsula. Well, actually we didn't knew were we were going so we just followed an old train track. The train track looked like it had not been used for 200 years. But when we came to the end of the track there was a passenger train.
This was the Ban Laem railway station. We turned right and we were back on the street where we had got of the ferry. We had passed some berths with fishing boats and a shipyard where they repaired some fishing boats. And of course, we had passed a huge statue when we had crossed the street after the Wat Suttiwat Wararam.
And the people along the way was very friendly, all children was sent to wai us. The girls selling food gave us free food (I'm on diet) and we had a really good time walking around Tha Chalom.
We just follow the tracks
They don't accept money for the food
Fish ball factory
Fish ball factory
Shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyard
We had a girl following us
We reach Ban Laem railway station
We walked down the street towards the ferry terminal, which we were hoping would come up on this street. And yes, we were on the right way and we were outside the ferry terminal after about 10 to 15 minutes. But no sign of the other members of the group. Are we going to stay and wait or go back to Mahachai?
Well, we don't know if the other have returned already.
Anyway, I started by crossing the street to buy a bottle of water. And then we decided to go back. There were no sign of the two girls that had disappeared in front of us, they walked like their behinds were on fire. We paid 3 Baht for the ferry ticket.
And we were lucky, there was a ferry arriving and we could board as soon as the arriving passengers were off the boat.
And there were quite a few motorcycles crossing with us, but I was lucky again. The Captain offered me a place next to him.
He had a small bench he was sitting on so there were space for me to sit.
- Do you think I can handle the excitement?
We took off and we were soon on the Mahachai side again. And we were hungry so we went to the restaurant on the second floor in the “big” building next to the ferry terminal. We were alone, well, there were some people, but no one from Bangkok Photographers. So we guessed we had left them behind on Tha Chalom. And no sign of the two girls walking ahead of us.
Waiting to board the boat
Getting on board the boat
We're ready to take off
Sitting up front
On the way to Mahachai
A new fishing boat next to the restaurant - And there is a FUNKY smell
Eating lunch
We were just finished ordering food when one of the girls that had walked in front of us showed up. And while we were eating many of the others from Bangkok Photographers showed up at the restaurant. FUNKY smell a, well, I just had a fried rice and 4 (FOUR) servings of ice cream.
It had been a very nice day, very friendly people at Tha Chalom and Mahachai. I meet some very nice people and it had been a pleasure to walk with the Swedish and American guy. And all the Thai people we have meet. It had been a pleasure.
And what a great day to spend a Sunday, no hangover and a good time.
The train was leaving Mahachai at 13:15 and we left the restaurant. And now I asked for a 1st class ticket for the train back to Bangkok, but still 10 Baht.
Well, I was soon to find out that there was no AC car on this train. And all the cars looked to be full so me and my new friend was had to walk to the first car. Well, as both the stations are what I call “BAG” station we will be in the position closest to the street when we arrive to Bangkok.
The train to Bangkok waiting at the platform
The train to Bangkok waiting at the platform
Mahachai train station
Mahachai train station
Mahachai train station
Checking the tickets
Checking the tickets
Buying a ticket on the train
On the way back to Bangkok
A power nap
Back in Bangkok
We were back in Bangkok according to time table and I and my new friend from Sweden got in to a taxi. I dropped him on Rama 4 and I continued home. Alarm went off 5 o'clock this morning and it will be the same tomorrow morning in order to get me in time to Suvarnabhumi and my flight to Luang Prabang in Laos. And this is an adventure I'm looking forward to.
It will be nice to get out from Bangkok for a few days, well, I'm slightly disappointed about my tiger safari, but I'm sure Laos will be, maybe not as exciting, but for sure more fun than India.
Well, all you have to do is to click HERE and you will be in the middle of the adventure in Laos.
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
Jiffy (also jiff)
noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!