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Published: April 5th 2013
Bangkok
Jim Thompson House, Silk Weavers
Bangkok, Thailand, February 28 - March 2, 2013
We flew to Bangkok a few days early to acclimate and get over our jet-lag before the Jean-Pictet IHL Moot Court Competition, which began March 2. We got in late in the evening, so really had only one day to tour. We chose to ride the Bangkok metro system to some cultural sights we'd not seen when we visited Thailand 20 years ago (spent three months in Thailand; six months in SE Asia altogether).
What a great, efficient and clean above-ground
Bangkok, Ananita Samakhom Throne Hall
No photos allowed inside, are you sensing a theme here, because if so, you are right metro system Bangkok now has. With the advice our hotel staff had given us, we had no trouble figuring out which train we wanted and how to buy a token. We were then whisked to our stop in a quiet, air-conditioned car. From the metro station we took a taxi a short distance to the
Vimanmek Teak Mansion, the world's largest golden-teak building. Furnished as it was at the height of its use (as a royal palace), it was cool and enchanting - no photos allowed inside, unfortunately.
Very near the Vimanmek Teak Mansion is the
Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, a stately building with extensive grounds and gardens. Again, no photos allowed inside the Hall.
From there we tried to walk to the nearby
Marble Temple, but got lost and ended up in a tuk-tuk for a short while. I hate tuk-tuks (can't help breathing exhaust), but it was well worth it as we'd not have found it on our own; it was tucked (fitting that a tuk-tuk found it?) away and that is why we kept misreading the directional signs. It was a beautiful wat, but then Bangkok is full of such wonderful
Bangkok, Marble Temple Buddha
Interestingly enough, at many of the wats photos of the alters/shrines were allowed temples - hard to choose the ones you visit. In this case it was totally proximity, but we enjoyed it.
Kanchanaburi, Thailand, March 2-9, 2013
Once again Bernard (as a judge/juror) and I (as a Petits Bras - administration assistant) took part in the Jean-Pictet International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition. (See bottom of blog text for a more detailed explanation of what "Pictet" is.) Last year it was held in South Africa and this year in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, which is north and west of Bangkok. As usual Pictet chose a remote location (no distractions for the 141 participating law school students) and this time the setting was particularly appropriate as it was near the famous Bridge on the River Kwai. Many of the IHL competition issues of the week dealt with the Geneva Conventions/prisoners of war, so the proximity to the bridge was not lost on anyone.
The Back-Story, Bridge on the River Kwai: The largely fictitious plot is based on the building in 1943 of one of the railway bridges over the Mae Klong - renamed Khwae Yai in the 1960s - at a place called Tha Ma
Kanchanaburi, The Bridge On the River Kwai
The round shaped truss spans are the originals; the two trapezoidal replacements were supplied as war reparations from Japan.
Kham, three miles (five kilometers) from the Thai town of Kanchanaburi.
According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission: The notorious Burma-Siam railway, built by Commonwealth, Dutch and American prisoners of war, was a Japanese project driven by the need for improved communications to support the large Japanese army in Burma. During its construction, approximately 13,000 prisoners of war died and were buried along the railway. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 civilians also died in the course of the project, chiefly forced labor brought from Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, or conscripted in Siam (Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar). Two labor forces, one based in Siam and the other in Burma, worked from opposite ends of the line towards the centre.
Funny Anecdote: The bridge described in the book didn't actually cross the River Kwai. The author, Pierre Boulle, had never been to the bridge. He knew that the 'death railway' ran parallel to the River Kwae (also spelled: Kwai) for many miles, and he therefore assumed that it was the Kwae/Kwai which it crossed just north of Kanchanaburi. This was an incorrect assumption; the bridge actually crossed the Mae Klong river.
When David
Kanchanaburi, Thailand
The Jean-Pictet IHL Moot Court competition was held at the Comsaed Spa & Resort set on the River Kwai. These are "my" students - the Red Group - their welfare was my responsibility. There were 3 groups; two English-speaking: Red & Green and 1 French-speaking, Blue. Each group had 16 teams; each team had 3 members Lean's film The Bridge on the River Kwai was released, the Thais faced a problem. Thousands of tourists came to see the bridge over the River Kwai, but no such bridge existed. However, there did exist a bridge over the Mae Klong. So, to resolve the problem, they renamed the river. The Mae Klong is now called the Kwae Yai ('Big Kwae'😉 for several miles north of the confluence with the Kwae Noi ('Little Kwae'😉, including the bit under the bridge.
We had a busy week at the beautiful Comsaed Resort and Spa (some had massages every day - $10 an hour), but it was extremely hot and humid. Typical forecast: 98˚ F. (37˚ C.) but feels like 109˚ F. (43˚ C). I do
NOT do well with humidity, so that part was rough for me. The big pleasure of the week was working with the dedicated Pictet participants - staff and students. This is truly a labor of love for the Pictet committee who work all year putting the scenario together, selecting a venue, vetting participants, dealing with financial assistance, securing funds from sponsors, recruiting help, and of course there is the logistical nightmare of getting everyone
Kanchanaburi, Bernard w/Ecuadorians
Bernard was a judge/juror (Green Group) at the IHL moot court competition and these were two of the students from the Ecuadorian team that he "judged." All teams had 3 members; each group had 16 teams to the venue. We all met at the Bangkok airport and went by bus from there. Many participants had arrived earlier, but many were arriving that day and, as part of my and the other Bus Captain's duties, we had to make sure everyone was met and put on a bus for the 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 hour ride to Kanchanaburi.
I have only included a few photos from Kanchanaburi, but if you want more, I have posted on my Facebook site two albums: one of the group I was assigned to take care of (Red Group) and another of miscellaneous photos of the resort, staff and some of the students and judges/jurors from the other two (Green & Blue) groups.
Nonthaburi & Bangkok
After Kanchanaburi and taking everyone* back to the Bangkok airport, our good friends,
Anne Gry & Anders, sent their driver to deliver us to their HUGE apartment in the Bangkok suburb of Nonthaburi. Anders works for the Norwegian telephone company, so they are living the ex-pat life in a "bubble," as Anne says. The community they live in is occupied by foreign workers and their families and wealthy Thais.
Kanchanaburi, Pictet Petits Bras
I worked with Corinne (right, captain) and Alicia as a "little arm" aka helper. We handed out documents, arranged the rooms, adjusted the air-conditioning (constantly!! and never satisfactorily), and general took care of our charges. I had the Red Group, Alicia the Green, and Corinne the Blue All of the staff from the American Embassy lives there, for example. For Herman, their seven-year-old son, there is a first-rate International School within walking/biking distance of their building, not to mention a huge community pool (cabinas, food and drink service, a spa, Starbucks). Anne & Ander's building has a lovely pool too, but everyone gathers at the nearby community pool. We spent several afternoons lounging by this pool, being waited on, meeting Anne & Ander's friends & neighbors and Herman's classmates - rather a nice way to wile away a hot afternoon.
*Most students, tutors/coaches and many staff members slept the entire bus ride to Bangkok having partied and danced until 5 a.m. We had joined the party in its early stages, but were in bed not too long after midnight. Were we wise or just old?? I was a Bus Captain again on the way back so perhaps I was just being ultra-responsible, yeah, that's it, that's the story I'm sticking with.
Last time we'd seen the Ranchil family was when we visited them in their home in Hvalstad (not too far from Oslo), Norway in 2010. At that time Herman didn't
Kanchanaburi, Comsaed Resort
We were right on the River Kwai and while it was too swift to swim in (there was a pool for that) it was beautiful to look at and relax by speak English. After 1 1/2 years in Bangkok going to the International School, Herman sounds like an American - he speaks English for school and with all his classmates; Norwegian with his parents; and Thai with the housekeeper. In Norway Herman had been frustrated when his parents and we spoke English; they called it their secret language and used it not only with visitors, but between themselves when they didn't want Herman to understand something. The first day of school in Thailand when he was told he'd be learning English, he was extremely pleased; announcing triumphantly to his folks that he was going to learn the "secret language, FINALLY!" After just over 30 weeks of immersion in English, Herman went from shy-to-speak to almost fluent. It is amazing what a young brain can absorb!! His Norwegian will advance because he uses it not only with his parents, but with the other Norwegians who live in their community - yes, quite a few actually. Anne Gry focuses on reading with him every day - in English and Norwegian. NOTE: Now Anne and Anders have to use Dutch as their "secret language." They lived in the Netherlands for three years and that
is how we met - Anne and I were in the same Dutch language class.
Jim Thompson House & Museum
We only had three days with the Ranchils, but made the most of them. Our first day we took a small boat from near their house to a terminal where the larger mass-transit boats stopped, hopped on one of those and went down the Chao Phraya, the main river that runs through Bangkok, to the Jim Thompson House & Museum. Thompson was an American architect from Delaware (1906), who during WWII volunteered for the U.S. Army, went to Europe and was later sent to Bangkok as a military officer. He fell in love with Thailand and stayed there permanently.
The hand-weaving of silk, a long-neglected cottage industry in Thailand, captured Thompson's attention and he devoted himself to reviving the craft. Highly gifted as a designer and textile colorist, he contributed substantially to the industry's growth and to the worldwide recognition accorded Thai silk.
Thompson dismantled and brought six teak buildings, most of them at least two centuries old, from around Thailand to his property in Bangkok where he reconstructed them
Bangkok, Jim Thompson House, Silk Cocoons
Silk cocoons are "cooked" to relax the thread (dissolve the caterpillar saliva that binds the cocoon) so that the beginning of the thread can be found, and also to kill the chrysalis. After this process, the remaining, cooked silkworm is eaten by the village youngsters - good source of protein
into a lovely home for himself. He used traditional methods, some common centuries ago but rarely used today. He did have electricity, but used 18th & 19th century chandeliers from old Bangkok palaces.
It is this beautiful teak mansion set on the banks of the river that is now the Jim Thompson House & Museum. We took a tour of the house (no photos allowed inside), watched them weave silk in the garden and had lunch at their highly acclaimed restaurant. And what is a museum without a well-stocked and expensive gift shop? But truly, the silk products in the shop were to-die-for.
NOTE: On March 26, 1967 Jim Thompson disappeared while on a visit to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysa. Not a single valid clue has turned up in the ensuing years as to what might have happened to him. His famous Thai house remains as a lasting reminder of his creative ability and his deep love of Thailand.
In 1976 the Thai court-appointed administrator for Thompson's property received permission to establish the James H.W. Thompson Foundation. By virtue of its presence and the dictates of its charter, the Foundation
Grand Palace, Bangkok
Distant view of 3 main monuments on the Upper Terrace: golden chedi reliquary (Buddha's breastbone); the Mondop, a repository for Buddhist sacred scriptures; the Royal Pantheon where statues of past sovereigns are enshrined is committed to the preservation of Thailand's rich artistic and cultural heritage, with an emphasis on silk weaving.
The Grand Palace, Bangkok
Our second day we spent at the Grand Palace, which has to be one of the world's most amazing palace complexes. It was established in 1782 and consists of not only the royal residence and throne halls, but also some government offices. It covers an area of 218,000 square meters and is surrounded by four walls, 1900 meters in length.
After King Rama I ascended to the throne in 1782, the palace was built. For various reasons the new king considered the former capital in Thonburi unsuitable and decided to establish a new capital. By his royal command a new palace was built to serve not only as his residence, but also as the site of administrative offices. The royal compound has been known since then as the Grand Palace.
Once you enter the complex you are directed toward Wat Phra Kaew, which serves as the royal chapel to the Grand Palace. On the Upper Terrace are four main monuments: Phra Sri Rattana Chedi (reliquary of a piece of
Bangkok, Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew
Mythical figures: garuda battling nagas Buddha’s breastone); the Mondop, aka The Library, which contains sacred Buddhist scriptures written on palm leaves; a miniature Cambodian Angkor Wat; and the Royal Pantheon in which statues of past sovereigns of the ruling Chakri dynasty are enshrined.
Further to the back of the complex is a prayer hall and the Royal Mausoleum. The outer wall of the temples courtyard is painted with 178 murals telling an epic story adapted from an Indian story (perhaps the Ramayana - couldn't read it all). There are several pairs of giant yaksha (1/2 demon 1/2 god) standing guard.
The Bot of the Emerald Buddha. This is a huge building with a large raised sanctuary in the center. At the top of an elaborate altar sits the Emerald Buddha, which is only about 30 inches tall and made of jade not emerald. No one is allowed to take photos inside the sanctuary, only from outside at ground level, which makes getting a good shot difficult.
The Grand Palace is indeed grand. The palace was expanded by almost every Thai king, so the architectural styles vary from traditional Thai to
Biking Bangkok, Bernard & Buddha
At the ferry dock; Bernard & Buddha both in the pose/mudra of Subduing Mara (a demon), aka Calling the Earth Goddess to Witness European. The most imposing building was the Chakri Maha Prasat (Grand Palace Hall), which is in the center of a large courtyard and is a Western style building with three Thai-style spires.
The palace is no longer used as the everyday residence (the royal family moved to a more private palace elsewhere in Bangkok), but it is used for special events and receiving foreign dignitaries.
See many more photos of the Grand Palace at the end of this blog - it was such an incredibly beautiful place; I took many photos of which I've only put a handful in the blog.
Biking Bangkok
Our last day with the Ranchils was my favorite. We got up early, put on biking gear (thank you Anne), met Gertrude, Anne's friend, and headed off exploring a more rural part of Bangkok. We biked along canals (klongs*) on paths made for walking or motor-scooters, so little traffic to speak of. These paths were so narrow that when we met an on-coming motor-scooters we had to "walk" our bikes or risk a dip into the klong.
*A klong is the general name for a
Bangkok, Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew
Yaksha, the name of a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, who are caretakers of the natural treasures hidden in the earth and tree roots canal in the central plain of Thailand. These canals are spawned by the Chao Phraya, the Tha Chin, the Mae Klong Rivers and their tributaries. The Thai word klong is not limited to artificial canals; also many smaller rivers are referred to as klong followed by the name of the stream.
Once we got across the river via a small ferry, having navigated over some very busy roadways, it was a different world: quiet villages but with bustling markets; simple but beautiful homes set out over the water where the constant breeze kept them cool. The people all greeting us warmly and with big smiles.
We wanted to stop for a bite to eat, particularly at the fried flower vendor (see photo), but we had appointments for massages - two hours each for me and Anne and an hour for Bernard - so needed to get home, showered, fed and to the spa pronto.
Funny story: At the spa they require you to turn off your phones, and of course we did. After our AMAZING two hours of being rubbed, pommelled, stretched, oiled and soothed, we went to pick up Herman
Bangkok, Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew
On the Upper Terrace, to the right is the Phra Sri Rattana (Sri Lankan style stupa) which enshrines a piece of the Buddha's breastbone from school. Turns out it had been an early-release day and they'd been trying to call Anne for two hours!! The nanny of one of Herman's friends took custody of him and the two boys were playing nicely when we arrived, but the nanny was increasingly distraught at not being able to find Anne - she was getting worried. Anne bought the nanny an ice coffee and the boys played a bit more before we headed home - for us to pack as we were leaving that night.
After ANOTHER amazing meal (Boone, Anne's housekeeper/cook is a great cook) Yosuf, Ander's driver, took us to the airport and we started our long and arduous trip home: 7 hours Bangkok - Toyko; 5 hours in Tokyo; 3 1/2 hours on the runway in Toyko because of winds; 12 hours Tokyo - Dallas; 2 1/2 hours Dallas - Tucson.
Once off the ground in Tokyo after 3 1/2 hours sitting on an active runway, so not able to move around, many of us headed to the toilets. It was nice to stretch, so I wasn't upset about the long line. However, just as it was my
turn, a flight attendant came running down the aisle yelling for us to get back to our seats and buckled up as there was something wrong. We looked toward the front of the plane where she was headed and saw smoke bellowing into our cabin. Well, thinking it might be my last visit to a toilet EVER and not wanting to die with a full bladder, I opted for taking my turn in the head. Also thought in such a confined space maybe I'd fair better in a crash. The dreaded collision didn't happen and when I got back to my seat the air was still pretty "smoky." There was no smell of smoke though, and in very short order the captain told us that as we'd come up through the turbulent air we'd sucked dust into the ventilation system. When they turned on the system at cruising altitude, the dust blew into the cabin. So all of us who had been holding our loved ones close and perhaps praying burst out laughing and clapping. Another long line soon formed at the toilets.
And of course we missed our connection in Dallas. American Airlines had 12 hours
to reroute all of us, and they did a great job: new tickets and boarding passes awaited us when we deplaned. But our bad luck was to continue: we got to passport control and saw a chocker-block hall with many people sitting or laying on their bags as the lines were not moving. Reason: the computers were down and had been for several hours!! The good news, for us anyway, was that they could manually process people with U.S. passports, so the line we ended up in went rather quickly. All the others on the "U.S. Passport or Resident" side and also on the "Foreign Passport" side had to wait because it is illegal for immigration to process them manually. What a nightmare for them. Later we spoke to a family we'd seen waiting and they told us it hadn't been long after we got through that the computers came back up.
We were able to claim our bags, go through Customs and quickly retag and recheck our bags before running to our next flight because of course our timeframe was limited. Those last two and one-half hours Dallas - Tucson seemed MUCH longer, but friend Leo
Bangkok, Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew
Statue of a Kannaris, a mythical creature renowned for her dance, song and poetry, and is a traditional symbol of feminine beauty, grace and accomplishment. met us; his wife, Mary, had sent along a bag of goodies so we didn't have to go to the grocery store that day. What a lovely welcome home!! Thank you Leo & Mary.
*
Explanation of "Pictet:" The first Jean-Pictet Competition in International Humanitarian Law was held in 1989. This year the contest celebrated its 25th anniversary and a quarter century of promoting IHL worldwide.
The contest is named after Jean Pictet, an eminent Swiss jurist. He was the Legal Secretary of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and also served as Managing Director, Executive Committee Member and Vice President at different times. In 1949 he was notably responsible for the preparatory work which resulted in the conclusion of the four Geneva Conventions for the protection of war victims.
Every year the Pictet Competition brings together students from five continents to compete in a friendly debate on challenging topics. The Competition is a tool for dialogue and discovery between students from different countries and focuses on mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace among all peoples. It promotes, in its unique way, the study of international humanitarian law.
Bangkok, Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew
Wats/stupas/temples as far as the eye could see - a cacophony of splendor DON'T FORGET TO LOOK AT THE PHOTOS BELOW (VERY BOTTOM, BELOW AD) AND GO TO THE OTHER PAGES (CLICK ON 'NEXT' AT BOTTOM OF EACH PAGE) AS THERE ARE MORE PHOTOS (63 TOTAL) AT THE BOTTOMS OF THE PAGES. GO TO THE NEXT PAGE EVEN IF IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE NO MORE PHOTOS (LIKE ON PAGE 2), AS THERE PROBABLY ARE.
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Sue
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What a super trip! Loved the story about the Bridge over the River Kwai. Little did we know when we saw the movie so long ago, huh? Always enjoy your adventures.