Bangkok to Korat - Back to Isaan

Isaan Nights

Saturday 20th September

I was still in Bangkok and had been promised a visit to a new Thai disco out near Ramkhamhaeng. Five of us took a taxi at 2.30 am from Silom for the 40 minute trip to the disco and when we arrived there was about two thousand people crammed into the large venue with probably room for about 1500. We felt a bit uncomfortable in that environment and because most of the official entertainment venues in this area close at 3.00 am some phone calls were made and we took another taxi back to Silom. I had no idea where we were going, as usual I just go along with my friend’s decisions here as they rarely let me down when it comes to finding a fun place to spend a few hours in Bangkok.

We hopped out the taxi and wandered through the Patpong area in Silom, renowned for girly bars and other infamous attractions before finding an Isaan (north east region of Thailand) style restaurant and karaoke bar. Before long we had ordered our drinks and food and everyone was singing and dancing along with the traditionally dressed band, vocalists and dancers on stage. This turned out be one of the best nights out that I have had in Bangkok. Most of my friends are from the Isaan region and they can all sing the traditional songs and are not shy about showing their prowess at singing and dancing.

More of our friends arrived and soon there was 10 of us having a wonderful time. I have always loved the Isaan style music and singing which consists of very catchy tunes and is a very upbeat style with everyone smiling and swinging around on the dance floor. You wave your hands in a flowing style and when dancing with another person they usually will look directly into your eyes. Yes I know this happens in other cultures or with lovers when dancing but this is part of the style here with good friends or even strangers. This can be a bit unsettling at first but as they say the eyes are the window to the soul.

I have learnt some of the Isaan style of dancing fairly quickly and a lady from another group of revellers seemed to be fascinated that I was dancing and enjoying the music so much that she came over to dance with me. About 5am they played a few songs from my favourite Thai band “Carabou” and the place was really jumping with everyone on the dance floor or just bopping along at their tables. To finish the night my friends took turns to sing alone and in duets and I was amazed at how talented they all were, there was not a dodgy singer in the whole place that night. Unfortunately I left my camera in my room safe that night and missed some great pics.

The restaurant was fairly close to my Silom hotel and two of my friends insisted on walking with me because at 6.30 am they were worried about me walking alone. There are always taxis available here but it is nice walking back and chatting with some good friends after another great night out in Bangkok.

The Road To Isaan - Korat and Chock Chai

Sunday 21st September

On Sunday I was heading for the Isaan region to visit my friend and family in Chock Chai and had slept well after my big night out previously. I caught the bus to Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima) from Mo Chit bus station in Bangkok at about 12.40 pm and arrived at 4.00 pm after a nice trip on the comfortable VIP bus for 227 baht which included soft drinks and a cake. There were movies shown in the Thai language on the big LCD screen, another reason to learn to read and write Thai although I can usually understand what is happening in the Thai or other movies that are dubbed into Thai.

Some of my Thai family greeted me at the bus station and we then caught the local bus to Chock Chai which was crammed full and I was worried about my luggage being squashed, luckily nothing was damaged. This part of the trip is not much fun in the heat of the day and with only a few overhead fans supplying a breeze along with the open windows. Fortunately the Thais are very proud of their body hygiene and odour or it would have been a real disaster sitting amongst so many people at the back of the bus.

The three of us hopped on our motor cycle at Chock Chai and soon we were riding through the rice fields at sunset, an amazing sight which I never tire of with the last portions of sunlight glistening over the water. There has been local flooding in recent times in this rainy season and I am lucky that the water has subsided although many of the roadways are particularly tricky at present with huge pot holes making the trip a bit more dangerous than usual. About 2 km from home we had a flat tyre and it was a long walk in the pitch blackness of night. Luckily I have a torch on my mobile phone to show the way as there were a lot of vehicles passing us and it could be quite dangerous walking on the road at night.

As per usual I received a warm welcome in the village with everyone happy to see me. It has been a sad few weeks with one Grandfather dying recently and another very sick with cancer lying quietly and resting on a bed with a mosquito net. Everyone spends time sitting with Grandpa, his wife who has always been very fond of me motioned me to sit next to her and soon I was surrounded by the whole extended family and other visitors. There is no crying here at present and as part of the Buddhist religion everyone smiles and is joyful even in a difficult time like this. I talked to Grandpa as he lay very ill on his bed and he smiled and waved to me, he looked so ill, but I am sure he is comfortable surrounded by such a caring family and friends.

We sat around chatting and soon it was time for bed as I was very tired and the family put a comfy mattress on the floor and setup a mosquito net for me as there are quite a few of these pests around at this time of year. It is relatively cool in the village but they still placed a fan near my bed and made sure that I was settled in and comfortable. I would not say that I get the best night’s sleep in the village home because you can hear all sorts of critters chirping outside and the dogs bark at any opportunity, but it is still nice to feel a part of the family home and treated so well amongst good friends. I usually only sleep one night in the village and then stay in an appartment in Chock Chai town which is still basic accomodation but has better bathroom facilities which the family think is better for me, although the main downside is the bed is rock hard in true asian style.

Monday 22nd September

I was not really sure what was on the schedule for today but I have two days to spend in Chock Chai before heading to Chiang Mai on Wednesday. At 10.30 am it was decided by the family to go to the Mul Bon Dam about an hours drive south of Chock Chai. I thought maybe a few of us would be going but as per usual there ended up being 16 in the ute and tray top with me always getting the prized front passenger seat. It is fun travelling along with everyone chatting and laughing.

It was a pleasant drive to the dam which looks more like a beach resort with the umbrellas and tables set up along the man made beach. Apparently at Songkran and other water festival times the place is crowded but today we were the only visitors which created a frenzy amongst the few shop vendors that were open. The dam looked huge and there were paddle boats available and you could swim in the water which looked very inviting on a fairly hot day. I did not take any swimming gear and was happy to sit at the tables in the shade while we had a magnificent lunch of various Thai style dishes including some great barbequed fish. We had purchased some whiskey, soft drinks and ice along the way to the dam so there was no shortage of refreshments.

Everyone knows that I want to learn to read, write and speak the Thai language so anyone sitting with me was educating me which can be fun but exhausiting. They make sure that I get the pronunciation correct but it will take a lot of practice. If I lived in the village I would be fluent in this language in a very short time as there would be no better schooling available. I just wish I had the Thai discipline in such matters when I return home. I have been writing down the meanings of Thai words in my notebook and have purchased some excellent reading and audio resources on the subject.

About 3 am after some of the family had had a swim and done some fishing with a small net we returned to the village, tired and relaxed after a nice day at the dam. The father of my Thai family then had to go to the farm to get some food while the rest of us sat around the front of the house. Luckily there is a shop just across the road from our house and they keep a fridge full of beer.

Four of us sat around the table in the shade and consumed 6 large bottles of Chang beer and enjoyed some Thai sweets from the shop while continuing my lessons in learning the Thai language. Khaeng who lives a few streets away but always seems to be at our house seems to have taken it upon himself to be my instructor and is relentless while Aunty Sit has also been very good to me explaining any words or phrases that are useful.

Everyone was sleepy but when Leon is visiting it is an opportunity to party and have some fun at a disco in Korat so everyone was keen to go out tonight. Six of us ended up going to the new “Bangkok to Korat” disco which is very similar to my favourite “Da Wen Deng” from my previous visit but located on the other side of the city. B2K has replaced the old RCA which is really just a huge shed that could hold two thousand people with ease with everyone seated at the large wooden tables.

They have spent heaps of Baht on this new disco so I hope they get enough customers to keep it open as it is a magnificent entertainment venue. It was a Monday night and there were only about one hundred and fifty people at the disco while the older “Dar Wen Deng” disco was probably almost full. There were two bands alternating with the recorded music and they played the usual Thai pop and anthems which I really enjoy and before too long everyone was dancing at our table. You can nearly always get a great meal at the discos and nightclubs in Thailand and tonight was to be no exception.

At 2.00 am the B2K disco closed and I hope to return there again sometime as we had a very enjoyable night. Three of the guys drank a bit too much whiskey and slept in the rear tray of the truck on the trip home and by 3.00 am I was back at my apartment in Chock Chai ready for some sleep after a big day out with my Thai family and friends. I slept very well, even on that damn rock hard bed, I am very happy to be in the “Land Of Smiles” again.

I don't put many close up pics of my friends and the family I stay with here out of respect for their privacy.

---

---