The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

Mathos

It is indeed a beautiful area Sabang, I have quite a bit more to add and no doubt will be busy over the weekend.

Cheers.

obsidian

do the cops still run the local bordello employing under age burmese?

klongmaster

Great stuff Mathos...enjoy your sense of humour and excellent report...not many comments by TDers but plenty reading...carry on please...

Mathos

Obsidian.. The bordello is another story, I'll let you have some detail on that little lot at a later stage.

Klongmaster;- Thanks for your comments. Appreciated.

I'll be entering some photographs from Laos, later on, it just happens to be one of those weeks, you no, nothing runs how you want it too.

No worries though, in my book the only thing that matters is staying here as long as I can.

Catch you shortly.

__________________
All the women take their blouses off
And the men all dance on the polka dots
It's closing time !

Mathos

Laos is strange country, I have crossed The Mekong many times over the years! Apart from Vientiane, which has slightly improved over the last twenty two years or so, the remainder of the country appears to have no ambition what-so-ever to pull itself into the modern world. Obviously there are factors which influence how and when a country progresses, there are many tales of woe attached to Laos and it has this habit of reflecting such in it's people, towns, homes and just about any and every atom of it's being.




It's different to look on photographs like the one above, but the scene represents so much sadness in life, why should the four middle aged ladies look so pathetically poor, three of them don't even have a pair of flip flops. There sense of being is perhaps satisfied on a regular basis of passing round the pipe of marijuana. It is indeed a great pity, if not an injustice in 2008.

I visited several villages during my time there, the country is somewhat peculiar indeed. The Hill-tribes of northern Thailand can be lacking in modern facilities but there is a sense of being and direction of their choice. Laos does not appear to have any choice or direction. Maybe it's Communism, I rather think I would lay the blame in this category.

Mathos

The hut, and there are many houses similarly erected atop un-exploded bombs throughout the country. Thankfully those in use in most places have been professionally de-commissioned. There was a time when it was hit and miss.

I'm not knocking countries either, Britain has enough to be ashamed of in it's past, but what the hell a modern day America was doing in dropping bombs on a country like this beggars belief.




There was quite a large market (modern market by Laotian standards near to the border crossing. It was absolutely flooded with goods from China and India especially. Everything from run of the mill novelties as the photograph shows, to televisions, fridges/freezers, engines, pumps, generators. The clients were not Laotians though, Chinese Thai's and Thai's in general, more than likely store and shop owners taking advantage of the extremely cheap prices. You can't blame them for that either, there were goods there at prices so cheap it was flabber-gasting. If I could have exported a load of those particular goods back to The UK and been allowed to retail them, wouldn't I just.

jizzybloke

What are the dishes on the roof?

Mathos

It amazes me how you can find motorcycles in these places for the chosen few of course. I know for a fact, that years ago a pick up loaded with marijuana being delivered across the border had a price tag of a dozen well used Honda motorcycles.

You only have to look at the little boy to form your own views.





The home below had electricity, there were not too many with such a blessing at all.

Mathos

In the UK we call them Sky TV dishes Jizzy the other side of the market block there no doubt showing the punters what good value for money their HD TV's were.

Mathos

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 55.89 years
male: 53.82 years
female: 58.04 years (2007 est.)

You just know things aren't how they should be!




The children in this photograph looked kind of happy and content, that was a blessing to see.







The little girl below, I remember distinctly looking at her and wondering what her life would entail

Mathos

There was a temple in one of the border towns, these mural type paintings depicting scenes from a by-gone age. My curiosity was roused, and I attempted to find out what had been going on, it appears these actions had been carried out by 'The Armenians' the village folk were unable to put a date on the same, and I could not find out anything about Armenians, I intend doing some research regarding the same in due course.

I'll let you know if I turn anything up.




It looked a rather brutal visit who ever they might have been!

jizzybloke

Doh, Didn't look like a normal sattelite dish to me!

jizzybloke

I often find myself doing just that.

Mathos

The still as you can see was not hidden away, it was smack bang in the middle of a village, the hooch appeared to be getting made from rice and even bits of coconut.

I did try some (reluctantly I may add,) it was potent, the same was poured into dirty looking five gallon plastic drums.



The three below appeared to be in charge of the process from start to finish. The Bruce Lee type character, snarled at me whilst I was taking photographs, but when I bought a plastic bag of the hooch from him, he changed his attitude.

Mathos

I'll stand being corrected, but there are some strange satellite type dishes all over the Orient.

??

Mathos

There are times when a photograph like these below, can say more than a thousand words.





The face on the lady below is amazing, full of so much character combined with the pain of a lifetime.





Thoughts return to how you feel or think when you see the subjects in real life, just as you start to aim the camera.

"I wonder how long she's been sat here like this, weaving away?"

Mathos

noticed the Roman Catholic Church had quite a standing in one particular village.

It thrills the heart to see them spending money like this and helping these poor souls to The Kingdom!






It was all done up fancy like for Christmas as well.

Mathos

Even the pigs looked somewhat different to me!





The afternoon natter came to an abrupt stop when I walked around the corner.





I have no idea what this chap was up to. He looked as guilty as hell though in a strange kind of way.




The lady with the small child, the baby had just been treated by the local Shaman. It didn't look good, the infection on the foot needed proper medication, I helped out to get proper medical attention.

Mathos

Jizzy, this is another market snap with one of those dishes on again, I'm pretty sure it's satellite mate!

But you got me thinking!

Mathos

Thats it for tonight lads and lasses, more over the weekend though.

Thanks for the encouragement, the reading figures are an inspiration and really are appreciated.