Replies(1 - 19)
| bobandcress |
 Jun 28 2008, 10:41 AM
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Newbie
Group: Members
Posts: 2
Joined: 13-June 08
Member No.: 197560
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Ha ha! I think I recognise that, there's a similar thing going round back in Bristol at the weekends - Weatherspoonitus or something?
Cheers for the tip!
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| inasia2008 |
Jun 28 2008, 07:00 PM
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Unregistered
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QUOTE(Paul @ Jun 28 2008, 09:56 PM)  Hi. Yeah, I think I have seen it. I have only ever passed through Pai, never stayed over. But I was there long enough to see the sickness. Almost everyone seemed to have not showered and perhaps not slept that well. Many didn't seem to know what country they were in, how to behave, or how to dress politely. Even Thais - I have seen them so sick with the Pai disease that they dress up and seem to actually believe they are some sort of reggae singer or someone from the Caribbean. The tourists are so ill, that they believe they are having some sort of experience of Thailand, even though they spend their entire time drinking in bars with other tourists and speaking English. It seems to be a pretty horrible disease. I would advise you stay away from there.  Uh oh... I think quite a few Brits suffer from this disease... just they never realise they have it til they pass out/throw up in a gutter somewhere, after losing control of their bladder etc. |
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| inasia2008 |
Jun 28 2008, 07:01 PM
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Unregistered
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QUOTE(thellie @ Jun 29 2008, 12:48 AM)
i guess it depends what you're looking for. paul's been, i haven't... just heard.
if you want something special, come and see us. get a homestay with lahu and akha tribes, knowing that your money is going to the right place... if you want more, volunteer with us and teach for a while...
...am i allowed to blatantly advertise on here, even if it's for non-profit orgs???
...no eye deer...
You should be able too man, I already put the website link in my Volunteer Assignment Blog for the Mirror Art Group! Surely that is what this site is all about and plus there is a Forum for Around the World and Career Breaks! Rock and Roll... |
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| thellie |
Jul 8 2008, 03:46 PM
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Pathfinder
Group: Members
Posts: 401
Joined: 22-August 06
From: far far farang away, but home all the same...
Member No.: 13877
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yeah, taking drugs in a country with the death penalty and reinforcing the current situation by buying stuff from local people... i'm curious too.
a lot of people have worked hard, giving their time, energy, money and in some cases, their lives to turn this situation around over the last twenty years - it only takes a few morons to undo all this.
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A WAY OF LIFE UNDER THREAT FROM UNCHECKED TOURISM
By Cindy Tilney
The Nation, published on Sep 29, 2004
In the lush green valley of Mae Hong Son’s Pai district, Diew looks out at the land across the river from her guesthouse and remarks, “My view is changing”. It’s sad but true – 18 months ago, when I last visited, there was garlic growing in those fields, now there are two bungalows blocking the mountains. One is still under construction; no doubt more will come.
Pai has been on the tourist track for a while now. Each high season brings with it a fresh glut of eager foreigners, lured by rumours of a promised land. And a promised land it is, in many ways – friendly locals, an active creative community, a meandering river, views dripping with green, and a pace of life that makes Chiang Mai seem like Hurricane Hugo.
Change is inevitable in any part of the world, but it is the nature of the change that can make or break a place. Thailand’s southern beaches are a prime example. Tourism enveloped islands like Samui, Phi Phi and Phang Ngan, resulting in over- commercialisation, cultural deterioration and environmental degradation. Now, many fear, it is the turn of the North.
To many locals, the rush of travellers that has engulfed Pai is a blessing, as if thousands of animated pots of gold suddenly appeared on the horizon, and just kept on coming. But others are concerned about the changes that are taking place and the implications these have for its future.
Drugs are a pertinent issue. Pai, with its geographical location in the heart of the Golden Triangle and proximity to many hilltribe villages, has become known as an easy place to procure opium, heroin and marijuana. Such substances have been abused by many incoming travellers, with predictably adverse effects on the community, particularly the youth.
A recent survey of Pai residents revealed that their foremost concern about tourism was the deterioration of Pai’s society. One long-time resident of the town felt that tourism had “definitely had an effect on culture”.
One local after another, including Pai’s head monk, complained that tourists showed indifference to Thai culture by dressing inappropriately, kissing in public, making noises near temples and late at night, and driving motorcycles recklessly, and voiced concerns about the repercussions this would have on the community, particularly the younger generation.
Another recurrent issue was the emergence of greed in Pai and a decline in the sharing caring attitude among members of the community. Recent months have seen a flood of resort-style establishments popping up (like local magic mushrooms) all over the town and its surrounds, catering for the influx of wealthier tourists who have caught on to Pai’s appeal. It is unsurprising, considering this development, that the community has begun to view visitors as a tangible source of income, and is becoming hungrier for the financial boost this set symbolises.
“We have to accept that people here want money, and foreigners represent money to them. It’s easy for some to take culture and tradition and trade it in for money,” said one resident. Another was more scathing: “Where there is tourism, capitalism comes along too. Pai people have been living peacefully and simply for a long time. They were modest and self-sufficient. They were content with their lifestyle in this beautiful land. But look at them now, they are running around trying to sell their land, properties and all the beauty they have – trading that for a brand new pick up truck or a television. They don’t want to farm anymore, they would rather sell the fields that have fed their families for generations. They’re throwing away their roots and becoming like the rest of the world.”
Investment by wealthy Thais and foreigners has sent land and housing prices soaring, with the result that many locals can barely afford to pay their monthly rent, let alone purchase their own property – that remains the stuff of dreams.
Many residents feel the district office and other governmental bodies should be responsible for implementing measures aimed at curbing the negative effects of tourism. Others feel that Pai is the responsibility of every member of the community. Proposed solutions to tourism-induced problems included distributing pamphlets about Thai culture to visitors, verbal communication between Thais and foreigners regarding cultural standards, and restrictions laid down by an active controlling body.
A few years ago, a tourism board was formed with the objective of uniting business owners, community leaders and other locals in an effort to preserve Pai’s culture and environment. Not everyone was co-operative, however. An ex-member of the organisation explained, “We invited business owners, guesthouse owners and tour offices to a meeting, but some didn’t want to go. They didn’t want to be restricted by anyone.”
Walking down Pai’s main street a couple of months ago, a local friend quipped, “Maybe in five years it will be like Khao Sarn Road.” She was partially joking, but in the last few days a layer of strikingly black tar has edged its way across town, smothering the innocuous, cream-coloured roads.
Rumours are rife that a fully-fledged airport is set to be constructed in the near future – a step that will mean certain death to this precious place that we know and love. In the words of a 36-year old local, “Chiang Mai used to be like Pai, Bangkok used to be like Pai. What will happen when all the rice fields have been sold and that land is developed?” A sobering thought indeed. The signs are all too clearly pointing to Pai’s imminent degeneration into a veritable “Samui of the jungle” – a depressing but frighteningly real possibility.
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| starlagurl |
Jul 11 2008, 09:46 AM
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Rolling Stone
Group: Local Expert
Posts: 14509
Joined: 5-November 07
From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Member No.: 103914
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Honestly, I don't advocate, neither do I discourage the use of drugs...
I've done quite a few in my short lifetime, and I don't necessarily think it was a bad thing, and I don't necessarily think it was a good thing. Just something that I did.
I've done drugs while traveling, (in much of Europe and also in Vancouver), and I most likely would in a more "exotic" culture if it was a generally accepted practice and people were out selling me weed pizzas on the street...
If you're an a$$(*!@, you're going to be an a$$(*!@ whether you're on drugs or not...that's the way it is. There's probably no "responsible" way to do drugs, but it is possible to do drugs without turning into a retard.
P.S. How did this become about drugs anyway? This is about sickness, I thought.
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| wakingdream |
Jul 11 2008, 12:46 PM
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Rolling Stone
Group: Local Expert
Posts: 5853
Joined: 18-August 06
From: Guelph, Ontario
Member No.: 13336
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QUOTE(pauls_pad2002 @ Jul 11 2008, 10:39 AM)
ur right staragurl, i dont also advocate the use of drugs, there is no point being a complete idiot on this subject especially when it comes to a few people that think cos they teach in the area or volounter there that they are the do gooders for everything....i have the utmost repsect for thai people and culture, ive also lived with the hmong tribe in vietnam and chat with one on a more than regular basis...it is well known if u really know ur thing, that the local tribes people are the worst abusers of drugs...they openly push it smoke it or whatever...the hmong tribe in vietnam openly sell to ferangs n the street day and night and as my very close friend belongs to the tribe itself she has informed me that they drink more then we do and also grow and procure the drugs to sell and the buyer gets the worst part of it........this area has been trading drugs well before u were in nappies..........oh and staragurl i also havent had a shake or pizza and wont, but im honest to say that i have smoked a bit and very occassionally still do but usually in my own country in my own space..rather than abuse that space that others choose to live
Hmmm, I wouldn't use the term "do-gooders" when describing Thellie and Paul, I would use the term "caring people". The way your using do-gooders seem more derogatory for some reason...... Just because tribes have been selling drugs since whomever was in nappies, it doesn't mean we have to encourage that behaviour either. We all know it's a well-known fact. It's a well-known fact that drugs get sold by a majority of those who live in poverty or have trouble making ends meet. Is this desirable for them or do they do it out of necessity? That doesn't make it a good thing. I've spent a little time with different tribes in Thailand and Laos as well on a number of occasions, and you might have noticed that many people have big problems with addiction to opium......that's not really so good, now is it? Families are destroyed, children are neglected and I'm pretty sure we can all think of all the other reasons why drug addiction is a destructive path. Isn't it important for them to have the same opportunities as us ( or as close to it) to raise healthy families? Live in healthy environments and communities? Work in a job they might actually enjoy ifor at least not use what they are selling? And it's not just weed we're talking here. You would know that if you spent time with a Hmong tribe. Sure, there are many people who can use drugs "responsibly" but there are plenty of people who can't and don't. I've met way more jack*$$es touring Thailand and just getting pissed and high with a bit of hungover sightseeing to "mix things up". When encouraging tourism, would you rather people respect the local culture and visit to learn more about the area and people (which is a big part of traveling, isn't it?) or act like a bunch of jerks? Shouldn't we try to help places we travel to sustain their communities in positive ways? Ways that will wholly reflect good things upon their people? QUOTE why be ignorant to whats going on..ppl are only buying what they are seling....now whose the culprit here..the buyer or the seller...i can tell u now that the seller is usally sen as scum...but do these guys see it like that..i dont think so.....open ur mind guys and smell the coffee...... I'll try not to be offensive, but yours is a really ignorant way of viewing the drug trade. Let's think of exactly what the situation is on both sides? A local selling drugs to support his family b/c he otherwise can't and really doesn't have a choice, which is often the case. A traveler picking up a stash to get high because he can't enjoy his vacation without it. I'm taking the same stance as Louise in that I don't advocate nor discourage drug use for the most part, on certain terms, and really, I'm pretty much talking about mary jane here.. Addictive drugs are a fool's game and I write from my own experience of seeing people throw their lives away. I'm no "do-gooder" yet I certainly have learned alot of important lessons in life too. Yeah, this thread is about sickness, but conversations turn into other conversations which make things interesting. People will always disagree about things and that's cool. But if you know first-hand how certain practices affect certain people in the long run, and it's a bad affect, then wouldn't you care enough to not do that certain thing? QUOTE If you're an a$$(*!@, you're going to be an a$$(*!@ whether you're on drugs or not...that's the way it is. I know where you're going with that but I would have to disagree a little bit (although in some cases you're totally right). If you're all whacked out on opium and who knows what else, hanging in Pai, or doing other drugs and just being a dink, it doesn't mean you're a dink normally. Drugs have a funny way of letting us lose control and become less inhibited and think certain behaviour is okay when it's not. And when there's a whack of tourists obviously stoned and hanging about a town, it shows exactly what they are interested in. Yeah, sure, there's lots of room for debate and I am generalising somewhat, but on this particular matter, I've seen it happen countless times. I would be embarrassed for myself to act like that in a country I'm visiting because apparently I'm interested in "traveling".
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~Susie
'Yesterday's the past and tomorrow's the future. Today is a gift - which is why they call it the present.'
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Anyone heard about sickness in Pai?
