The sharper edge to traveling in Asia

WoWasis nightlife review: Ladyboy bars in Bangkok’s Nana Entertainment Plaza

Written By: herbrunbridge - Feb• 09•11

Friendly entertainers greet you at Temptations

Updated January, 2016

Ladyboy entertainment establishments are all over Bangkok. At Bangkok’s massive three-story Nana Entertainment Plaza on Sukhumvit Soi 4 (BTS Skytrain Nana station), there are a large number of adult-oriented gogo bars and beer bars, each catering to its own distinctive clientele. Seven of these are ladyboy bars. WoWasis readers have been asking more about these bars: who works in them, what are the prices, who goes to them, and do all ladyboys have male genetalia? In answer to the last question, with the exception of one or two gender-reassigned dancers at Temptations, all ladyboys in Nana Plaza’s ladyboy bars are fully genetically male.  Bar fines for taking one of the entertainers out of a club for part of an evening are 600 baht in each bar, with other services to be negotiated with directly with the entertainment provider herself.

Remember that the word “katoey” is seen by many ladyboys as a pejorative, so we recommend using instead the terms “lady” or “ladyboy.” Here is our report, with the seven bars ranked in terms of friendliness and overall customer experience:

A Fairy Bar, 2nd Floor. Occupying the space of the old G-Spot, this ladyboy bar is similar to Charades upstairs, except the audience is closer to the stage. Yes, there is audience interaction with the performers, in this brightly lit, spacious bar. Our choice for the best looking ladybodys in the Plaza.

Charades (formerly Cascade), 3rdFloor.  Cascade’s interior resembles a cave, with a theme-oriented stage and carousel where there are always 10-15 dancers. As many as 80 entertainers work here each evening. Lady drinks are 130-150 baht, customer drinks are 145 baht. The cabaret show is on at 11pm seven nights a week, although the show may start anytime later in  the hour if there aren’t enough customers at 11 pm.

Temptations, 2nd Floor.  Open now for 6 years, Temptations generally has 35-40 dancers and entertainers nightly, with alternating shifts of five dancers. It is the only ladyboy bar at Nana Plaza that has gender-reassigned ladyboys (called “ladies,” within the bar, if you’re requesting one of them for company). Temptations has a free, easygoing atmosphere and an English-speaking manager that is happy to answer all questions regarding “who does and who doesn’t”).

Obsession, 2nd Floor. Obsession has calmed down quite a bit in terms of drink hustling, which make it easier on a customer not wishing to be badgered. As with any ladyboy bar, you’ll be cajoled, winked at, pointed at, and otherwise invited to drink with an entertainer. Avoid eye contact and it all goes away, make Obsession an easy bar to wander into and catch a drink. If course, you could always buy a drink for an entertainer…

Straps: 2nd Floor. Up the stairs and to the far left, this ladyboy go-go bar is a tinier version of ‘Charades,’ on the third floor, with much preening, vamping, and camp-play.

Casanova, 2nd Floor.  Although there is a stage here, dancing really isn’t the main point as much as meeting the entertainers. This legendary bar has a grittier atmosphere than the others, and although quite friendly, is probably more appropriate for veterans of the scene than first-timers. 43 entertainers work at Casanova, and the drinks are the least expensive of all the ladyboy bars in Nana Plaza, at 135 baht for customer drinks, and 120 baht for lady drinks.

DC-10 , 2nd Floor. The DC-10 is now a ladyboy bar with a few stragglers onstage, fewer customers, and a far cry from the wild “hands-on bar” that it used to be.

Cascade shows, on every night at 11 pm

In summation, each of these bars has its own characteristics. Newbies should start with the first two bars. Couples just wanting to check out the scene would love Cascade. Veteran participants in the scene might enjoy the gritty feeling of Casanova, and are probably better at fending off the aggressive behavior at Obsession than newcomes.

Posted in Adult Venues, Nightlife, Thailand , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

Thailand-Cambodian military skirmish damages historic Preah Vihear temple

Written By: herbrunbridge - Feb• 07•11

Wat Preah Vihear: disputed and endangered

Sophomoric saber-rattling on the part of Thailand and Cambodian politicians has escalated to military forces battling over a 4.6 square kilometer patch of disputed territory has damaged the historic 11th century Preah Vihear temple (also known as Khao Phra Viharn), according to Thai army sources reported in the Bangkok Post.  This small patch of earth has been claimed by both countries for years, and recently several skirmishes have brought the conflict back onto the front pages of Cambodian and Thai newspapers.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has attempted to cool down various powerful Thai political and military influences, who are bent on causing a war to further their own interests. The yellow-shirted People’s Alliance for Democracy, who closed down Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport two years ago, are claiming that Cambodian encroachment in the disputed territory causes Thailand to lose face, and that Thai military muscle must be used. Because Abhisit has taken a more measured stance in solving the problem, yellow shirts are calling for an end to his role in government, and are staging large protests in Bangkok. As of this writing, the protests have been peaceful and non-disruptive to daily life.

Where will all this lead? The temple is in the process of being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so the world’s eyes are on the temple. People in nearby villages have been killed in the past week by artillery. As Cambodia and Thailand play a “he said-she said” game over who fires each first daily volley, the fate of this important historical temple and the people who live near it is deeply in question.

Posted in Cambodia, Culture & History, Historical Buildings & Temples, Politics, Thailand , , , , , , | No Comments »

Bachelor in Bangkok: Khun Lee on obese western women and shameless Thai ladies

Written By: herbrunbridge - Feb• 07•11

Recently I have started to think that perhaps I need to work on my people skills.  Now, I have to say that I have never been the most diplomatic guy, and one of the things that I love about living in Thailand is the total lack of political correctness that is so pervasive in the West.  Here if someone says “why do Americans always talk so loud” or “why do the Thais walk so slowly” nobody is offended.  Anyway, the other day I was using online instant messaging with an old mate from the USA and the topic of his wife came up.  Jim is a hell of a nice guy, but unfortunately has a wife who weighs more than 3 Thai gals put together.  The really sad part is that since he has lived in the USA his entire life, he is totally convinced that he really can’t do any better so there is no real reason to complain.  Though he does seem to enjoy joking about it.  

He has a photo of his family on his desk at work, and the photo only includes Jim, his wife and 2 children when in fact he has 3 children. He purposely keeps this photo out on display so that when someone asks what happened to his 3rd child he can exclaim “I think my wife ate him.” Keeping this in mind I really didn’t think I had to be shy about expressing my opinion on his wife’s glacier like size.  He was in the process of telling me that although most of his friends never get sex, he and his wife make love once a month and this alone has made him the envy of his hip crowd of mates.  Now I have to pause right here to tell you Bangkok-based readers that indeed, sex once a month is considered by many Americans to be an extremely active sex life and could possibly have one committed to a clinic for sex-aholics if one was heard to make this claim in public.  

One of the things women are famous for back in my esteemed homeland is using the withholding of sex as a means to get what they want from their spouse.  Obviously this would never work in Bangkok as I think there are no less than 20 places to go for a little love on the side on the 700 meter walk from my apartment to the 7-11 store down the street.  Oops, I think I left out the blowjob bar, 2 hand job bars and the 3 Karaoke places.  There is the Coyote bar and I think I forgot the 2 billiards places where the girls go out with customers.   Now that I think of it I also forgot the bar with live music where the service gals are extremely frisky and known to cut deals on the side.  Maybe I shouldn’t count that place as I have taken home 5 gals from there and one actually didn’t have sex with me!  The cheecky tart.  I clearly remember she said that “she liked me and just wanted to talk” I told her “that if I wanted to talk I would still be out with my friends actually having fun and talking about interesting things.”  People say that I am not diplomatic and need to work on my people skills?  Just look at how gentle I was with her.  I’m certainly not the one with the problem. 

Actually there are just way too many places to rent love on the side to get an accurate count.  Let’s just say there is so much love for sale over here that if a woman withheld sex from her lover it might take him up to 3 minutes to find a suitable replacement for the evening.  In the USA, there really is no place to go for these poor saps who are whipped by their shrew wives, and as my mate was describing to me online how his wife withholds sex from him in order to blackmail him into draining his bank account, I slipped up and responded “when a 240 pound woman with 3 chins withholds sex from you she is doing you a favor.”  Do you think I was less than diplomatic?   He hasn’t contacted me since. 

I remember the one and only time that I allowed a gal to live with me (my insane period) in Bangkok.  She was young, hot and treated me like gold but I just got bored seeing her face every day so I eventually threw her out.  Anyway, she used to be so cute whenever I would go out for the evening.  She would wait until I showered and began getting dressed, and then she would rape me and exclaim with a smile on her face “a real Thai gal never allows her man to go out at night with any water (semen) left in him.”  I guess she has never heard of Viagra? 

I know I always talk about how ridiculous it is to “sponsor” an entertainment provider by sending her money from overseas but this story has to be the most outrageous behavior I have seen to date.  There is a certain young, sexy lass that I have been intimate with on and off for 3 or 4 years.  When you live in Bangkok it’s necessary to accept the fact that the gals will always come and go.  I love it.  Gives me an excuse to move on when I have been with them too many times or to just explore the endless supply of gorgeous women here.  This particular gal was a go-go dancer when we first met, and since has had a string of jobs, providers and other reasons to disappear and resurface countless times. Whenever she shows up in Bangkok she calls me (a booty call) and we have several rounds of hot, raunchy monkey sex.  The arrangement works for me. The best part is that many of the times she has had a sponsor, and on those occasions refuses to accept any payment from me.  These guys are sponsoring ME. More accurately they are subsidizing my sex life!  

The last time that we met she phoned early in the morning (10:30 AM but that is early by Bangkok standards) and said she had only a few hours as she was in transit to England.  No problem I can have sex early in the morning if I absolutely am forced to so as per usual she came over and I have to say she was even more of an animal than normally, and for her that is really saying something.  Imagine my shock and disbelief when I left my apartment an hour or so later and she was eating lunch with her “sponsor” in the restaurant that is attached to my building. I subsequently found out that she was staying over night in my apartment building when she placed the booty call!  You really have to love these gals, they are absolutely shameless. 

Read Khun Lee’s other WoWasis columns for more advice on navigating the adult dating scene through the backstreets of Bangkok

Posted in BachelorInBangkok: Khun Lee's column, Nightlife, Street Talk, Thailand | No Comments »

Broken computer in Bangkok: Where do I fix it?

Written By: herbrunbridge - Feb• 05•11

Sooner or later, one of your electronic gizmos will go on the fritz while you’re in the tropics. Here at WoWasis, our USB thumb drive went out while we were in Bangkok.  It stores all our backups, and we wanted to preserve some of the data on it before buying another drive. We were referred to Guru.com, a small shop located way in the back of the ground floor at Pantip Plaza on Phetburi Road. Sure enough, they’ve got all the high tech diagnostic gear to figure out the problem, and the tools to test them. Computers were coming in and going out the whole time we were there, and they’ve got loads of customers. They got my gizmo going in no time with a little solder in the right places, and now we recommend them, too: 

Guru.com
Pantip Plaza, Ground Floor # 166-167/9 (waaay in the back)
Mobile telephone: 085-851-4902, or 088-006-398

Posted in Business, Shopping & Fashion, Thailand , , | 1 Comment »

WoWasis comes clean: What’s a Thai soapy body-to-body massage? How does it work, and where do I get one?

Written By: herbrunbridge - Feb• 05•11

Friendly masseuses in a “fishbowl”

My goodness, did we get some responses to our recent men’s spas in Thailand and soapy massage and museum on same day blog posts! Many of those writing were curious as to how these soapy body-to-body massage spas are operated, and how they can get one. We’re going to tell you how these soapy massage parlors work, discuss some of the procedures you’ll want to follow, and generally make it as easy as possible to have a go if you’d like to participate yourself. At the bottom of this post, we’ll give you two recommendations for good soapy massage venues in Bangkok.

Opening soapy massage procedures

When you walk into a soapy massage venue, the first thing you’ll see is what’s known as a “fishbowl,” where various masseuses sporting numbers on their clothing will be smiling and hoping you’ll select one of them. Massage venues offer lots of services, and not all of them include soapies. Typically, the soapy ladies sit on the left of the fishbowl, but ask anyway. You may see some  Japanese customers there, who  love to get right up to the fishbowl glass, then look at the masseuses through binoculars, presumably so they can check the pores of their skin. Pick the masseuse you’d like, and the manager will call her to the desk, where you pay for your massage and meet your masseuse.

Special soapy instruments create an awful lot of hot, foamy suds

She’ll lead you up to your room, which has two discrete sections, a “wet” area for the large bathtub and a bathside deck where the large plastic inflatable mattress sits, and a separate “dry” area for a bed, a couch, and a coffee table. . You’ll be asked if you’d like something to drink. Please do, as the drink server makes $3.00 USD per day, and you’ll want to tip her at least 20 baht to show the good manner.  Another attendant will bring a large plastic basket with everything your masseuse will use for the massage, including soaps, lotions, and small special baskets and sponges she’ll use to generate hot, soapy suds. After your session is over, your masseuse will leave a 20 baht tip on the top of the basket for the attendant. Now that your drink has arrived, your masseuse will lock the door, and your soapy experience begins.

Your soapy massage

Your soapy massage experience occurs in three stages: a thorough washing in the large bathtub, a full-body nude rubdown-massage on the hot, soapy air mattress, and a final massage/adult services session of the bed. Although the bathtub washing generally occurs first, some masseuses prefer giving you the air mattress treatment first. In both situations, you and your masseuse will be fully nude (with the exception of the Minnie Mouse or Hello Kitty shower cap she may be wearing to keep her hair from getting wet) and all soaped-up. If you’ve treated your masseuse well (see #1 below), she may even sing to you through the entire experience, at no additional charge.

Hot bath & air mattress, ready for action, note mirror on ceiling

The air mattress experience 

Veterans of the soapy experience are essentially here for the mattress part. Initially, you’ll lie face down on the mattress while your masseuse first covers you with hot, soapy water, then uses every imaginable portion of her body to slide over the back of your body.  A WoWasis tip: Remember that there’s more body surface on a curvy masseuse when you make your initial selection. The laws of physics really do apply here, especially relating to inertia. After every imaginable area of the back of your body has been body-massaged by every imaginable frontal area of your masseuse’s, she’ll ask you to turn over for a little front-to-front. There are some amazing positions for massage wherein your masseuse faces you while lying down, then intertwines her legs around and through yours, then massages you with her thighs. There’s always a mirror above so you can get a bird’s eye view of your experience. This activity lasts 10-15 minutes.

A final flourish 

You’ll be very relaxed after your mattress, bathtub, and shower experience, so dry off, move to the bed, and enjoy yourself. If your masseuse didn’t give you a real muscle massage on the air mattress, she may do that now. Or she may do that after other activities more adult in nature have finished. Every masseuse has a different approach, and it’s best to let her be the director. You’re role is the actor.

After it’s over

Clean sheets, mirrors, and pillows: the “dry room” stop in your soapy experience

When you’re finished doing everything you wanted and have had a nice conversation, your masseuse will give you a final shower. You’ll dry off, put on your clothes, then go back down the elevator together. Tips are not required, but if you liked your experience, a 300 baht tip ($10 USD)  is very much appreciated. In an average soapy massage parlor charging 1900 baht for the sapy, the masseuse will get 1,000 baht of it. Remember that these nice ladies are, just about all circumstances,  the main or only breadwinners for their sometimes very large families. If you’ve been a polite customer, you’ve brightened her day. 

Is the soapy experience only for men?

No. Women can come by themselves for a soapy, so can couples. The manager can help you, and he or she will speak English (your masseuse’s English may be limited, but don’t worry, she’ll know enough to ensure that you’re happy). If you’re a couple, you’ll be expected to pay for two masseuses, and all you have to do is tell the masseuses what you’d like to do. As an example, one masseuse told us that a western couple both came for a soapy, then the man had protected activity with the two masseuses before bare-backing his wife. The bed’s big enough, and has enough mirrors, that everyone gets a nice, scenic view.

A few things to remember

1) These ladies all support immediate or extended families. Before you session, while the bath water is running, ask if they have brothers and sisters, and ask if they have children. Most of them do, and many of them will happily volunteer to show you a picture of one of their children on their telephones. They love talking about their children. They are working in the massage business to make a better life for their families, and showing that you understand this makes you a more empathetic customer.
2) You may not always find your favorite masseuse available. They work pretty much the schedule they want. If you have a great experience and want to see the same masseuse again, ask for her phone number before you say goodbye. That way, you can call at a later date to ensure she’ll be there for you.
3) These ladies deserve your respect. They do want you to have a pleasant experience, and “work massage” to support their families instead of working at a $1.75 USD per day factory job, as one masseuse told us she used to do. Ask about her family, joke a little, and do whatever you can to make sure she has a good time too. If she has as good a time as you do, you’ll walk out of the massage experience feeling that it’s one of the nicer things you’ve experienced in life.

A soapy massage is an experience probably not available in your own country, and is one of the joys of a visit to Thailand. Understanding its procedures and the massage providers will enhance your experience.

WoWasis recommends the following soapy massage venue in Bangkok. You’ll be treated fairly, and the masseuses, as a rule, provide very good service:

Chao Phya 2 (Chao Phraya 2)
537 Sri Ayuttaya Road
Tel: 02-455-7403
GPS: N13°45.393’  E100°32.466’
Open 12 noon – 11:30 pm
Body-to-Body soapy massage 2000 baht, 2 hours in duration
Directions: BTS Skytrain to Phaya Thai station, take exit 4, walk right onto Thanon Sri Ayuttaya. Cross to other side of the street, and Chao Phya 2 is a 7 minute walk up the street.

Posted in Adult Venues, Culture & History, Health & Hygiene, Nightlife, Spas & Therapeutic Massage, Thailand , , | 17 Comments »

Why is my limousine hot pink? Of Thai birthdays, Buddha hand positions, and colors

Written By: herbrunbridge - Feb• 05•11

Reclining Buddha. For those born on Tuesday, to reflect on life after death

Even casual visitors to Thailand have told us here at WoWasis that they’ve noticed a seeming color clash at practically every step.  Here’s a house painted hot pink and yellow.  A Bangkok taxi cab is green and yellow. A shop has red and green walls, but it’s not Christmas.

Somewhat subtler are the sculptures of Buddha. It may take you a while to notice, but the hand positions vary. Like the color variances, they mean something. They are culturally coded to the day of the week that an individual was born.

Every Thai knows the day of the week he or she was born. If a girl was born on Monday, for instance, her color is yellow, and she’ll prefer that color all her life. Yellow has additional significance in that it’s King Rama 9’s color. He’s the longest reigning monarch in the world, and loved by all Thais. Getting back to our girl, when she buys a house, expect all or part of it to be painted yellow. And if she eventually buys a white or black car, she may actually have something visible on the outside of the car stating “this car is yellow.”  Let’s say our Monday girl marries  a fellow born on Wednesday, and they start a taxicab business. Expect those cabs to be painted green and yellow.

Tuesday is pink day, same story for people born on Tuesdays. And like every other color-coded day or the week, on Tuesdays, hotel personnel, servers, and various employees all over Thailand will be wearing pink, born that day or not. The color is associated with the day, and becomes extra-special for the person born on that color day.

The owners of this tuk-tuk were probably born on a Monday and a Friday

Before we discuss Buddha days of the week, here’s a list of the colors associated with the days of the week:

Sunday: Red
Monday: Yellow
Tuesday: Pink
Wednesday:  Green
Thursday: Orange
Friday: Blue
Saturday: Violet

Each day of the week is associated with a different aspect of the hand position of Buddha (and two on Wednesdays). For example, a person born on Wednesday night would spend one’s life trying to be a giving person, forgiving the transgressions of others, and forgetting wrongs when they are no longer relevant.  The aspect of Buddha’s hand would be a constant reminder. As would the color green.

Here are the Buddha hand positions associated in Thailand with specific days and philosophical goals:

Sunday: Palms crossed downward, emphasis on being polite
Monday: Right palm raised, left palm down, on knee, emphasis on avoiding doing bad things
Tuesday: Reclining Buddha, emphasis on life after death
Wednesday (day): Both hands around a bowl, emphasis on ensuring that parents are always fed and cared for
Wednesday (night): Right palm on knee, face up, left palm on knee, face down, emphasis on giving, forgiving, forgetting
Thursday: Both palms up, crossed on lap, emphasis on good thinking, meditation
Friday: Hand crossed above heart, palms toward body, emphasis on love
Saturday: Buddha sits inside of a cobra-like umbrella, palms up, crossed on lap, emphasis on good thinking and support

Now, you’ll know a whole lot more about why things are painted certain colors, and why Thais might emphasize different approaches to situations. When you walk into the home or business of a person born on Friday, therefore, expect to see a lot of blue things, as well as a Buddha image with hands crossed above the heart, palms toward the body. And expect that whatever your transaction with the Thai person is, he or she will make some attempt to love you just a bit more.

Posted in Buddhism, Culture & History, Thailand, Transportation | No Comments »

Thai taxes: how are those roads and hospitals paid for in Thailand?

Written By: herbrunbridge - Feb• 05•11

Mercs and BMWs pay a hefty road tax in the Land of Smiles

One day a few years back, one of us here at WoWasis had to go to a hospital in Thailand on an emergency basis. We got all stitched up, and paid nothing. Why? Here’s another question: why are Thai roads so damn good? (Compare them with the Philippines, which has some of the worst roads known to humankind).

The answers to these questions lie in the Thai tax system, which charges the rich to pay for the poor, and charges those who are perceived to be making a personal health-risk decision to pay for those making an attempt to stay healthy. Here’s how it works:

Roads

For most new cars and trucks, a 300% “road tax” is charged at purchase. Think of it: if you were in the U.S., and bought a $25,000 USD pick-up truck, your final price would be $100,000. For luxury vehicles in Thailand (e.g. BMW, Mercedes, Porsche), the tax is 600%! Meaning a Porsche, for instance, might cost 400,000 Euros, This is how road construction is paid for. It’s also why poorer people tend to buy used cars and trucks. No road tax there.

Hospitals

You’ve probably seen those nasty cancer pictures on the packs of cigarettes sold in Thailand. The Thai government has decided that smokers and drinkers spend more time in the hospital than those who don’t. So they imposed a 500% tax on alcohol and tobacco. WoWasis is having a beer right now for which we’re going to be charged 120 baht. That beer would have been only 20 baht, but then they taxed us 500%. And they use that tax to pay for hospitals that people can use essentially free (a Thai friend pays 30 baht each visit). And that’s why we didn’t pay anything when we had to go.

That’s how Thais go to public hospitals and pay essentially nothing. If they want to go to a private hospital, the Thai government pays 50% of the cost. Still a bargain.

As a visitor, every beer you buy supports the hospital system. And if you’re buying a new pickup truck for your Thai girlfriend’s family, congrats on agreeing to do it before you knew the costs, and enjoy your financial road-rash!

Posted in Business, Culture & History, Health & Hygiene, Medical Tourism, Thailand, Transportation | No Comments »

WoWasis cruises Thailand’s River Kwai: a confluence of indolence and history

Written By: herbrunbridge - Feb• 03•11

RV River Kwai on the Kwae Noi river

WoWasis is on a 4 day river tour on one of Asia’s most storied rivers, accompanied by a cold beer as the sun begins to set. The boat we’re on is the RV River Kwai, a beautifully appointed river craft. The first inland cruise ship in Thailand, this newly-built colonial style river cruiser is based on designs used by the original Irrawaddy Flotilla, founded in Burma in 1865.

We’re on the River Kwai primarily for history, wanting to become better immersed in the story of the building and destruction of the famous railway and bridge of World War II. The tour we’re on will take us up and down the river, to the museum and cemetery, to a ride on the railway, to pagodas and temples. We’re writing on the forward deck of the boat, under a canopy, as she lazily passes a temple where the chanting of monks is the only sound we hear, with the exception of the calls from the ever-present bird life.

Behind us (we’re already on our next beer) sits a Swiss family of seven. The parents are taking their children for a tour around the world that will take a year. Every day they break for two hours of class lessons. The children are polite, relate well to adults, are well-behaved. When they return home after a year, their schools have agreed to put them into the age-appropriate class for each, no questions asked. This is one of the joys of world travel, to see how smart people are raising their children in non-traditional ways.

Death Railway train overlooking the RV River Kwai

Most people come to the River Kwai area for a historical exposure to the Japanese death railway of WWII.  Passengers read up on its story along the way, perhaps by taking in Pierre Boulle’s legendary novel The Bridge on the River Kwai, while having a drink or two, motoring down the river. Or they come for the temples. The Prasat Muang Singh historical park, for instance, boasts lovely laterite Khmer architecture from the late Lopburi period, constructed ca. 1400 ACE, a potent reminder of the vast expanse of the  Khmer empire. 

It’s become apparent to us, on our third day on the river, that watching the river indolently pass by is the greatest thrill, and the one we’ll remember. It’s not just the fascinations of riverine life culture, flora, and fauna, either. The Karst topography, with it’s sharp limestone peaks, is ever-present, looming over the riverside trees, a constant purple background framing the green vegetation fringing the banks.

This is something that can’t be seen from the road. Thai traffic is chaotic, sometimes even in the country. Instead of a steering wheel here, you’ve got a beer. That big red sun, which would play hell with your eyes if you were driving into it, becomes an icon of nature, the sun-god’s nightlight. Three kids fishing from a bridge at sunset wave to you on the deck: they raise their lines when they see the boat coming, as interested in what you and your friends on deck look like as the fish they’re going to catch 5 minutes after the boat passes.

As it gets darker, you feel you’re floating back in time. Maybe this is how the Mississippi once was, before civilization lined the shore with concrete, steel, and cities. You see an occasional hut, a boat, a landing. Occasional blue pipes reach down into the green waters, sucking up irrigation to some hidden fields above the banks. The perfume of burning brush floats over the water and onto the deck. What matter of vegetation is that?  I’ve never smelled anything like that before…

Writer Clifford Kinvig calls this river, the branch of the River Kwai called Kwae Noi, “probably more widely known than that of any other river of comparable size and significance on the surface of the globe.” And the Kwae Noi is where the RV River Kwai spends most of her time.

Side trips

There are a number of wonderful side trips that are part of this tour, including the aforementioned Death Railway and Death  War Museum, the Saiyok Elephant Park, the Hellfire Pass, and our favorite, the lovely 6th century Khmer temple Prasat Muang Singh. A separate side tour to golf the River Kwai area can be made as well. You can also take a 3 day jungle raft trip as well.

The boat

Aside from the great Thai food, the RV River Kwai has a few other things going for it, too. The 10 cabins are well-designed in teak-moderne, and functional. The instant hot showers have exceptional water pressure, the modern toilets really work, the shower drains immediately, the cabins are air-con, and there’s an always-on electrical outlet in each cabin. The food is terrific, the bar well-stocked. In short, this is an exceptional river-cruiser. There is a crew of 8: two pilots, an engineer, two chefs, a barman, one waitress, one maid.

So if you’ve got a mind to take a leisurely, yet historically interesting inland cruise in Thailand, this would be the one.  Book a tour on the RV River Kwai.

Posted in Culture & History, Historical Buildings & Temples, Hotels & Lodging, Museums & Art Galleries, Nature & Wildlife, Thailand, Tours Treks Outdoors, Transportation , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Thailand’s Railway of Death: 250 tough miles to Burma on the River Kwai

Written By: herbrunbridge - Feb• 03•11

A friendly Thai engineer welcomes you to the Death Railway

The Thailand-Burma railway, built from June 1942 through October, 1943, spanned a distance of 250 miles, running from Nong Pladuk, Thailand to Thanbuyuzayat, Burma. A number of books, both fact and fiction, have been written on this legendary and ill-fated railway, built on the backs and contributing to the deaths of thousands of slave laborers courtesy the Japanese occupying forces. The best-known of these books is Pierre Boulle’s The Bridge on the River Kwai. Over 100,000 involuntary Asian workers died alongside more than 16,000 Allied prisoners during the construction of this line. You can visit their cemeteries today near the banks of the Kwai. 

Whether you take a formal tour to the River Kwai and Kanchanaburi or visit there on your own, there are three recommended things that we at WoWasis think you should consider doing to discover more about the death railway. The Death Railway in Kanchanaburi (see address below) runs over some of the old Japanese rail bed. You can take the train a few dozen kilometers up the line in the morning, then ride back in the afternoon. It’s rickety, jostling, old-fashioned, and frankly a ton of fun, passing over wooden trestles, through gorges, over and around the river. It’s a bit more sobering when one reflects on the fate of the men that were killed building the original rail line. 

Also in Kanchanaburi, you have an opportunity to visit the Death War Museum, replete with photos, dioramas, and artifacts relating to the railway. While downstairs is devoted to the building of the railway, upstairs is dedicated to the eventual triumph of the Allied forces, helped immeasurably by Thai partisans. Of particular interest is Gallery 2, “Design and Construction,” and Gallery 4, “Life in the Camps,” 

The trestle has been upgraded, but the Death Railway's roadbed is still over 60 years old

Across the road from the Death Railway Museum is the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. Here lie the remains of thousands of soldiers who died during the railway’s construction, under tremendous hardship. The inscriptions on many of the memorial plaques are sobering. 

Kanchanaburi, 128 km west of Bangkok, is less than a day’s drive from the capital, and you can, like we did here at WoWasis, take a four day boat tour of the river that includes the historical sites associated with the railway, a ride on the Death Railway, and visits to some other interesting sites in the area. 

Death Railway
Train Travel Tour Co.,Lltd.
378 Tharua, Thamaka
Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Tel: (034) 561-052 

Death War Museum (formerly Thailand-Burma Railway Centre)73 Jaokunnen Road, Ban Nua
Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Tel: (034) 512-721
Open 9am – 5pm, daily
www.tbronline.com

Posted in Burma (Myanmar), Culture & History, Museums & Art Galleries, Thailand, Transportation , , , , | No Comments »

WoWasis book review: Pierre Boulle’s ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’

Written By: herbrunbridge - Feb• 03•11

Here at WoWasis, we’re not averse to reviewing an older book, especially one that was written a couple of generations ago.  It’s well past its original buzz, which, in the case of this book, includes a major motion picture as well. Fact is, many in today’s generation haven’t read it. And it’s timeless.

We just finished reading Pierre Boulle’s The Bridge on the River Kwai (1952, ISBN 978-0-09-944502-9) as the sun set over the River Kwai in Thailand. So we’ve got tons of additional atmosphere .  But Boulle’s fictional chronicle of one of the more legendary occurrences in World War II stands the test of time as a work of psychological fiction that addresses the basic human issues of hubris, loyalty, duty, and honor.

Initially, at issue is Colonel Nicholson’s insistence on military protocol after capture by the Japanese. His insistence on morale-boosting by helping the enemy to build a railroad bridge becomes apparently compulsive, until he finally makes a fatal choice of which side is more deserving of his own personal loyalty.

Boulle has a fascinating way with prose. We were struck by the artistry of this “sentence as paragraph” on page 169, describing Colonel Nicholson:

 With a clear conscience, at peace with the universe and with God, gazing through eyes that are bluer than the tropical sky after a storm, feeling through every pore of his ruddy skin the satisfaction of the well-earned rest that is due to any craftsman after a difficult task, proud of having overcome every obstacle through his personal courage and perseverance, glorifying in the work accomplished by himself and by his men in this corner of Siam which he now feels almost belongs to him, light at heart at the thought of having shown himself worthy of his forefathers and of having contributed a far from common chapter to the eastern legends of empire-builders, firmly convinced that no one could have done the job better, confirmed in his certainty of the superiority of his own race in every field of activity, glad of having furnished ample proff of this during the last six months, bursting with the joy that makes every commander’s effort worth while once the triumphant result is there for all to see, drinking the cup of victory in tiny sips, delighted with the quality of the construction, anxious to see for himself, and for the last time, the sum total of its perfection compounded of hard work and intelligence, and also in order to carry out the final inspection, Colonel Nicholson strode with dignity across the bridge over the River Kwai. 

Today, you can take a boat tour down the River Kwai, visit the Death War Museum (formerly the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre), ride on the Death Railway, walk through the blasted remains of the Hellfire pass, visit the site of the famous bridge in the city of Kanchanaburi, and immerse yourself in the history of the river and its famous bridge. This book, which generated much of the interest in making those spots accessible,  is a page-turner. At only 186 pages, you can easily begin and finish it while you’re in the River Kwai area. Buy it now at the WoWasis estore, powered by Amazon.

Posted in Burma (Myanmar), Culture & History, Historical Buildings & Temples, Literature, Thailand, Transportation , , , , | No Comments »
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