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Sunday, March 2, 2008

Sawasdee karp!

That is how men say hello in Thai.

This weekend was election time in Thailand. Like Mary and Joseph residents are required to return to their hometowns to vote. We wondered why we saw many, many buses on the road Saturday, many with people on the roof. Sunday, there were miles long traffic jams coming into Bangkok.

The selling of alchohol was banned for the weekend (try that in America). It is interesting to see so many people here caring about an election, where in the supposed "birthplace of democracy" only 1 in 10 voted in the last election.

Unfortunately, as Hemingway said you really need to speak the local language to get a feel for the mood of the masses. We are pretty oblivious here, especially spending time living in the jungle!
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