Skyline of Bangkok seen from my building in 2008. (Above photo is subject to copyright -Pantau Foundation.)
.Today I was watching television while writing a scene for my new novel. I zapped through a few dozen non-European channels and landed at a Thai channel. I only pretend to speak Thai, thus the reporter sounded like: Rak loei leeuw loy loy kap chai leeuw ha sip….” Blablabla. And then a logo appeared with Breaking News and some live pictures of a girl sitting on the balustrade of a very high high-rise building. The reporter kept mentioning the words Krung Thep Mahanakorn and Ratchadapisek and Huay Kwang, and I know those words. Krung Thep Mahanakorn is what we Bangkokians call Bangkok in Thai. Bangkok is a foreign word for the Thai capital, only used by foreigners, never by Thais. Krung Thep means: The City of Angels. Ratchadapisek is the name of a long Avenue. Along the Avenue one can find a dozen international 5-star hotels, 15-story high mega-brothels, Carrefour, Tesco Lotus, the Thailand Cultural Centre, L’Espanade, Fortune Town, Club Hollywood and the Chinese Embassy. Huay Kwang sounded familiar to me too. I live in Huay Kwang district, a yak spit away from the Chinese Embassy, just a short walk from Ratchadapisek Avenue.
The girl sitting on the balustrade was filmed by a news crew standing on the street below. From the angle of the footage, I could tell that this girl was on a very high floor of her building. And she didn’t look happy.
I heard wailing sirens approaching. I kept watching television. Would the girl jump or not? I am not stupid. I knew this was another live-suicide-on-Thai-television-item. And then I thought: that balustrade looks just like the one we have in our building.
When the news crew made a total shot of the building, I realised that they were filming my building. I guessed that one of the hiso concubines that live in our building wanted to make a point to the older gentleman she served. The concubine probably thought he spent too much time with his wife and children. She may have had one of 300 other reasons to be unhappy about as a concubine. I wondered whether it was one of those very beautiful former Tiffany-showgirl-transsexual-turned-concubines. Perhaps her western boyfriend told her he would NOT pay for her operation.
I got up from my bed and walked onto our balcony. I looked down and saw a large plastic mattress being pumped up right below me at 9 o’clock. The girl was sitting on the balustrade of the 20-something floor.
I love media coverage. A little demon inside me said: Pantau, go and sit on your balustrade with your book in your hand. Great promotion. Just shout in Thai: “Buy my book! Visit my website!”
The girl didn’t jump. I watched the rest on television. An hour later we were bombarded by a heavy monsoon shower.
I love the monsoon in Thailand. It's way past midnight when I write this. I didn’t finish writing the scene. Suddenly I feel bored. I think I am going to empty an astray.
The girl sitting on the balustrade was filmed by a news crew standing on the street below. From the angle of the footage, I could tell that this girl was on a very high floor of her building. And she didn’t look happy.
I heard wailing sirens approaching. I kept watching television. Would the girl jump or not? I am not stupid. I knew this was another live-suicide-on-Thai-television-item. And then I thought: that balustrade looks just like the one we have in our building.
When the news crew made a total shot of the building, I realised that they were filming my building. I guessed that one of the hiso concubines that live in our building wanted to make a point to the older gentleman she served. The concubine probably thought he spent too much time with his wife and children. She may have had one of 300 other reasons to be unhappy about as a concubine. I wondered whether it was one of those very beautiful former Tiffany-showgirl-transsexual-turned-concubines. Perhaps her western boyfriend told her he would NOT pay for her operation.
I got up from my bed and walked onto our balcony. I looked down and saw a large plastic mattress being pumped up right below me at 9 o’clock. The girl was sitting on the balustrade of the 20-something floor.
I love media coverage. A little demon inside me said: Pantau, go and sit on your balustrade with your book in your hand. Great promotion. Just shout in Thai: “Buy my book! Visit my website!”
The girl didn’t jump. I watched the rest on television. An hour later we were bombarded by a heavy monsoon shower.
I love the monsoon in Thailand. It's way past midnight when I write this. I didn’t finish writing the scene. Suddenly I feel bored. I think I am going to empty an astray.
Posts
If she had jumped, yelling at her about your book wouldn't have been very good publicity! However, if you see her again perhaps you should give her a copy.
ReplyDeleteThanks. You want to become my PR person?
ReplyDeletesorry, I was trying to be humorous....
ReplyDeleteMe too, dear.
ReplyDeletePantau