Monday, February 07, 2005
Yesterday it was a short trip to the village to vote in the national election. Thaksin, the incumbent, and his Thais Love Thailand party (has a certain ring to it?) were again elected to power. I don’t pretend to know, or care, much about the Thai political scene, however Thaksin is a populist and everyone in the village excluding my girlfriend was voting for him. Why? Because, according to the villagers (none of whom I have ever seen with a newspaper), he was going to give everyone a cow. I am tempted to twirl this around pizza-like in the air and make every facetious comment possible about it, but I’ll just let you ponder it quietly once more – the villagers voted for him because they think they will all receive one cow. Now that I think of it, didn’t Bush use the same tactic to capture the Midwestern vote? Or was it the promise of one pig per household that garnished him the Southern vote? Well, Thaksin was successful in large part due to the Isaan vote. I hope he knows a good cattle wholesaler.
In other news, my girlfriend has found a job in a dental clinic. When she asked about her schedule the dentist said, “We’d like you to work (such and such), but ask your boyfriend first.” It seems that the lady is actually going to allow Pocky to set her schedule around my desires. Hmmm… I am also starting another class that will run Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I will be working five days a week. I don’t know if I have it in my anymore. The lady at the school started talking about the visa process again. I am thoroughly convinced that she has no clue whatsoever, but this is Thailand, so if I go with the flow things often turn out all right. Again yesterday at the voting poll a policeman came up to me and shook my hand. Even when we were stopped for driving without a license plate (hey, the dealer said we could!) the cop only looked at my New Hampshire license - like that means anything. In all my dealings with the police – and there have been more than I would have liked – never once have I had to furnish any ‘official’ ID, such as passport, driver’s license or alien card, which, incidentally doesn’t exist in Thailand to my knowledge. So, I am assuming that I could stay here in rural Thailand for the rest of my life and never have any problems. It’s just the leaving part that’s a bugger. But imagine it, a lifetime in Isaan with no need for legal status. Aren’t you jealous?