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Day 4
today started with a more gental start than yesterday... we got up late after our busy day yesterday and have been booked on another tour.
we got collected by two thia girls on bikes and were wisked off to our awaiting minibus for a tour to another floating market, a train line market and finally a firefly boat tour.
First stop was the railway markets....
This was "ok" at best and would be much better if the train was doing 100mph instead of around 15mph
The railway is lined either side by biuldings with doorway size alleyways that kead directly onto the track... once on the track you find the locals are using this space as a market area with canvas roofs held up with metal poles that they have to lean back against the buildings when the train comes... there stalls are located on the track itself which also have to be removed before the train arrives... some have devised clever rollong draw systems that just push away when needed, some just make sure there market items fit under the train when it passes and leave everything bar the roof inplace. the trains arrival is marked by a horn system which gives around a minute to sort everything out.
The floating market was much the same as the day before only on a more commercial scale... loads of super power turbo diesel boats, all made from wood, maybe 35ft long and 4 foot wide along with traditinal boat people selling food.
We then headed off on one of these powered boats to find the Firefly.
The Firefly is a little fly that group in certain trees looking for a mate.. they have a tail they can light up to attract the other flies in the area. in the blackness of night they light up well... floressent yellow and when you find a tree with loads in it looks very impressive, after a while of this its back to the pontoon.. this is done at a higher speed and you soon know which boats are best... the turbo ones... unlike ours. we got overtaken by everything. you know your about to be passed because you hear them coming.. they have a ear splitting whistle from the massive turbos which after a while end up glwing red hot along with the 18inch straight through exhaust system.
on our way back to Bangkok we pass another crash... 9 cars this time.
cant say i'm supprised, there all mental over here.
There is political unrest in bagkok at pressent, but if it was not for the odd road clossure and helicopers overhead you would really know... See no trouble, just plenty of reports on the news...
Theres a clip below, off to bed now.
Bangkok, Thailand - As anti-government protests rage around the Thai capital, concerns abound over what the turmoil will mean for the country's crucial tourism sector, with television images showing running street battles between rivals and plumes of tear gas fired to disperse unruly crowds.
Many nations have issued travel warnings and raised concerns about the weeklong unrest in the "Land of Smiles". Meanwhile, questions remain as to what will happen next in the tense stand-off with determined demonstrators demanding that embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra step down.
Worries about the long-term effects on Southeast Asia's second-largest economy are also intensifying. But for opponents of the ruling Puea Thai Party, the protests are seen as necessary to oust the government because of what they see as misguided economic policy.
"I don't want to see the demonstrations, but I really have no idea what else to do because the government does not care about us at all," said Pawatpong Racha-apai, 29, during a tear-gas filled protest at Government House on Sunday. "Yes, this may affect the country. Foreigners may be afraid of coming here, and I'm afraid of an economic slowdown. But I am more afraid that the country's future will be worse if we let this government rule this country."
At a raucous demonstration outside the Royal Thai Police Headquarters on Sunday, protester Wichuda Pornhansawijit, 40, agreed. She said Yingluck's mishandling of Thailand's affairs and concern for the future had brought her and her two daughters onto the streets. "I don't want my children to have to shoulder the burden of debt from this government's disastrous policies," she told Al Jazeera, with hundreds of riot police looking on behind her.
- comments
Sister C A market stall ON a train track!!! My mouth literally fell open at this! My brain is going mad with exactly how that all works!! Haha x
Amy Have a look at this sister C http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wJpR9n-L680
Graham Clarkes - causing trouble where ever you go!!! how did you two manage to cause so much unrest in such a short space of time?! :-) Be careful.