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11/25/08
Larry Welch On the run...in Thailand
On the run...in Vietnam
AGING IS AN INEVITABLE PROCESS. I
SURELY WOULDN’T WANT TO GROW
YOUNGER. THE OLDER YOU BECOME,
THE MORE YOU KNOW. YOUR BANK
ACCOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE IS MUCH
RICHER. William Holden (1918-81),
actor; 2nd Lieutenant, USA, World War
II; 1954 Academy Award for Best Actor
(Stalag 17); founder, Mount Kenya
Safari Club, Nanyuki, Kenya
(photograph at right)
PEOPLE CALL ME AN OPTIMIST, BUT
I’M REALLY AN APPRECIATOR. WHEN I WAS
SIX YEARS OLD AND HAD SCARLET FEVER,
THE FIRST OF THE MIRACLE DRUGS,
SULFANILAMIDE, SAVED MY LIFE. I’M
GRATEFUL FOR COMPUTERS AND PHOTO
COPIERS...I APPRECIATE WHERE WE’VE
COME FROM. Julian Simon (1933-98), PhD,
professor of Business Administration,
University of Maryland, author of The
Ultimate Resource WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY
THAT DEMANDS AND HAS GROWN ACCUSTOMED
TO INSTANT GRATIFICATION. MOST PEOPLE
TODAY LACK THE PATIENCE NECESSARY TO
ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. UNFORTUNATELY,
THERE ARE NO FAST-FOOD OUTLETS SERVING
UP OUR DREAMS. ACHIEVING YOUR DREAM
TAKES TIME. EVERY MOMENT YOU ARE
WORKING YOU CAN TAKE COMFORT
IN REALIZING YOU ARE MOVING CLOSER AND
CLOSER TO YOUR DREAM. THAT WORK, THE
JOURNEY ITSELF, IS THE ADVENTURE AND
HALF THE REWARD. DON’T SHORT CHANGE
IT. Cynthia Kersey, founder,
Unstoppable Enterprises; author of
Unstoppable; motivational speaker;
established the Unstoppable Foundation
to raise funds and awareness for
women’s issues worldwide Welcome to On
the run, it's a personal e-news about
positive thinking and written for
people striving to be their best. If
you received this publication in error
please send response with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line to
lnwelch@aol.com. If you would like to
extend On the run... to your friends
ask them to write the word subscribe
in the subject line. On the run... is
written by Larry Welch, an American
living in Thailand.
In his day-to-day routine, Larry is
owner of the Full Moon Rubber
Plantation at Nakhon Phanom and
teaches English at the Suankularb
Wittayalai Rangsit School in a
northern suburb of Bangkok. Photograph
at left: Teenager Larry Welch, a 1959
high school football player at Milan,
Michigan.
LOVE OTHER HUMAN BEINGS AS YOU WOULD
YOURSELF. Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969),
Communist, Vietnamese revolutionary,
statesman, national hero, prime
minister and president, Democratic
Republic of Vietnam THERE WILL NEVER
BE ANOTHER NOW. I WILL MAKE THE MOST
OF TODAY.
THERE WILL NEVER TO ANOTHER ME. I WILL
MAKE THE MOST OF MYSELF.
Robert Schuller, televangelist and
pastor of the weekly Hour of Power
television service; encourages
Christians (and non-Christians) to
achieve great things through God and
positive thinking; author
THERE’S NOTHING AS FRUSTRATING AS
ARGUING WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THAT
HE’S TALKING ABOUT. Sam Ewing,
professional baseball player
with Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue
Jays, and Nippon Ham Fighters
Seeing the Sights in Hanoi
Frankly speaking, I live in paradise.
Many millions of tourists save for
eleven months of the year in order to
spend several weeks seeing the world
where I live. It isn’t just Thailand
that has such exotic appeal, but also
many of the 11 countries that comprise
Southeast Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, East
Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, and Vietnam.
In October, I visited Hanoi, Vietnam,
to learn more about the Vietnamese
people and the place where they live.
Without exaggeration it was a
spectacular occasion integrating the
beautiful, the gracious, and the good-
humored spirit of the Vietnamese
people. Within hours of arrival,
outside the Astoria Hotel on Hang Bong
Street, I was watching the rainfall
and observing the passing scene of
motorbikes with riders covered in
colorful plastic slickers and cone-
hatted ladies selling fruit.
There were also soggy kids taking a
curious glance at the camera-clad
foreigner who didn’t seem to have
enough sense to come in out of
the rain.
Nguyen Khanh, 22, waits out the
rainstorm under a store awning on Bang
Hung Street. Khanh and her friend
Nguyen Lan, both university students,
are models of not only Vietnamese
beauty, but also graciousness, and
good humor.
When the downpour faded to a mist and
stopped altogether I took a walk around
Hanoi’s Old Quarter, fell in love with
a bowl of chicken noodle soup (Pho
Ga), strolled around the area near
Hoan Kiem Lake, and returned to the
Astoria Hotel.
The following morning I was off on 8-
hours of touring pagodas, temples, and
museums; and seeing Ho Chi Minh’s
tomb, the Presidential Palace and other
fascinating sights that included an
excellent repast at the Lady Bird
Caffe on Hang Buom Street. The Lady
Bird is one of Hanoi’s most popular
eateries for tourists as they serve a
wonderful sampling of Vietnamese
foods. That day-long tour gave me an
anchor of appreciation for Vietnamese
culture and history as well as a sense
of geography for the contours of lakes
and a major river that define Hanoi.
The first stop on my tour was Chua
Tran Quoc, Vietnam’s most ancient
pagoda dating from 545. It is located
on a scenic peninsula at West Lake,
one of 18 lakes that bring unusual
beauty to Hanoi. West Lake is the
largest at about 1,000 acres.
Chua Tran Quoc Chinese influence on
Vietnam’s culture is reflected in
temple architecture and Chinese
characters are common features of
religious buildings.
Water is an important design element
of pagodas and lily flowers, symbolic
of peace, enhance reflection.
Hanoi has many charming
haracteristics: people, food,
architecture and things that
are old. The Van Mieu (Temple of
Literature) was built in 1070 and
dedicated to Confucius. In 1076, the
temple was joined with the Quoc Tu
Giam (School of the Elite of the
Nation-- Vietnam’s first university).
The school provided the genesis for
training of mandarins who were
Vietnam’s government administrators.
Students seated at this table of
learning dined on philosophy, and
ancient Chinese and Vietnamese
history. Every three years
a rigorous examination was conducted
with high scorers being awarded a
doctorate degree and assignment to a
senior government post, those who
failed the examination were sent
back to their village to seek
redemption and make their living as a
teacher. In the 700 years in which the
university functioned as a center of
education, 2,313 doctorate degrees
were awarded.
These stone tablets are part of a
collection of 117 that sit on the back
of stone tortoises. The stelae are
inscribed with the names, works, and
academic records of 1,306 scholars who
succeeded in the 82 examination
sessions held between 1442 and 1779.
Of special interest, American Express
funded preservation of the
stones.
Stone Stelae at Temple of Literature
This image of Confucius is located at
the Temple of Literature to honor the
man who changed the way people think
about compassion, honesty, humanity,
loyalty, relationships, and sincerity.
The moral code developed by Confucius
influenced change around the world,
but nowhere more prominently than in
the East Asia countries of China,
Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Singapore.
Although he is worshipped,
Confucianism is not a religion with
Buddhists, Christians, Muslims or
Zoroastrians following not only their
own creed, but also the moral
direction developed by Confucius.
The Temple of Literature was
dedicated to Confucius for good
reason. Born in 550 BC, he lived at a
time of great political turmoil to
become one of the foremost thinkers
in human history. His genius proved
to be as a strong moral and ethical
guide who promoted a social order
based on compassion, etiquette,
loyalty, knowledge and trust. For
over 2,000 years Confucianism has
been a pillar of the Vietnamese moral
and spiritual world.
My enjoyment of Temple of Literature
concluded with a traditional music
concert presented by musicians who
were especially skilled in folk music
and instrumentation.
They played lutes, fiddles, a zither,
bamboo xylophone, and hammered
dulcimer; and sang poetic songs about
love, hard work, and tragedy, familiar
topics in many countries of the world.
It was just a hop, skip and jump from
the Temple of Literature to Ho Chi
Minh’s tomb and Chua Mot Cot (One
Pillar Pagoda). The tomb was too
impressive as a marker to
the life of a simple man, but the
Communist government would have
nothing less than a high-toned
monument.
Folk Music, Temple of Literature
Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum Contrary to
his wish to be cremated, Ho Chi Minh’s
embalmed corpse lies in a glass casket
in this monumental tomb.
Uncle Ho, as he is affectionately known
in Vietnam, is the country’s foremost
hero for his leadership and nearly a
lifetime of struggle to liberate
Vietnam from foreign domination.
One Pillar Pagoda Chua Mot Cot (One
Pillar Pagoda) was originally built in
1049, with the wooden pagoda rests on
a single concrete pillar
rising out of a lotus pool. It was
recently reconstructed after departing
French soldiers blew it up in 1954. It
was built by King Ly Thai To as a
tribute to his young peasant wife who
bore him a male heir.
Ban Tang Dan Toc Hoc Viet Nam (Vietnam
Museum of Ethnology), is a treasure.
Hanoi’s newest and most modern museum,
the main building and surrounding
grounds are dedicated to explaining
the fascinating life of Vietnam’s 54
ethnic groups.
Ban Tang Dan Toc Hoc Viet Nam (Vietnam
Museum of Ethnology)
Photo (upper left) describes a funeral
ceremony as experienced by one of
Vietnam’s 54 minority groups,
the Black Thai. The second largest
minority, there are over a million
Black Thais concentrated in Son La
and Lai Chau Provinces. The museum
showed lifestyle of a diverse people
living from river deltas to
mountainous terrains including
housing, customs, language, religious
beliefs, and rituals. Photo (upper
right): University students taking a
tourist survey as part of their
studies. Names behind the smiles are
(left to right): Tuyet (Snow), Hanh
(Happy) and Ha (River).
The days touring concluded with visits
to Ho Chi Minh’s home, and the
Presidential Palace, one a simple 2-
room home on stilts, the other an
ornate example of French colonial
architecture.
Later in the week, I took a tour into
the countryside near the city of Ninh
Binh, which is about 55 miles
southeast of Hanoi. On this tour I saw
one additional historic pagoda,
took a 6-mile bicycle ride through
some of the most gorgeous scenery on
earth, topping that with a fine
Vietnamese lunch and boat ride on the
Ngo Dong River.
These are sights from my bicycle seat.
Upper left is the entrance to an
historic temple, Den Dinh Tien Hoang,
which was initially
constructed over a thousand years ago.
It has been rebuilt several times,
most recently after being destroyed
during the Vietnam War.
Upper right is the small road I took
past rice paddies, rivers, ponds, and
limestone karsts.
Children at left were happy to meet a
foreigner out in the countryside. Van,
14, and her brother, Ziang, 10, were
on a mission to
somewhere. Most Vietnamese, especially
children, look up to foreigners for
their perceived education, wealth, and
worldliness.
They seem to know that we know
something they don’t and they’d like
to know about that.
Of course, the contrary view also
passes through my mind; they have
experiences I’d like to know about,
too.
Sights from the Seat of a Bicycle
Sights from the Seat of a Bicycle
(Continued) The day of my bike ride I
was relieved to be free in
fresh country air. There was a light
mist and the sights moved me because I
hadn’t ever seen anything quite like
it, especially the limestone karsts.
The photo above shows two Vietnamese
women bagging rice for the new
harvest. It seems that women in
Vietnam are proving that equal
opportunity is a reality as they take
the hard jobs in road and building
construction, collect garbage and work
in the fields.
The three girls on the right asked me
to give them three pens as passage on
their road. I gave in to their
demands, but ask for a photograph in
return. They were happy about that.
In Closing Thanks for reading along
about my travels in Hanoi and the
surrounding area. You may be happy (or
maybe not) to know that the story
isn’t over. In the next issue, I’ll
recount travels by boat on the Ngo
Dong River, a visit to the Blue Dragon
Children’s Foundation, relate what I
saw at the Roi Nuoc Thang Long (Water
Puppet Theatre), and show you some of
the good people in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
Thanks to Rand Brinkman of
Jacksonville, Florida, who suggested I
get a biker’s chain to secure my
wallet; and to Jim Campbell of Key
West, Florida, who sent a series
of ideas on how to best protect your
belongings from the world’s criminal
element. Many of you have sent
Thanksgiving Day wishes, thank you for
that. Thailand has many nice holidays,
Thanksgiving isn’t one of them, but
that isn’t to say I will be ungrateful
for the many blessings that have been
bestowed on me. On the contrary, no
days pass that I don’t reflect on what
a fortunate life I’ve had and continue
to have with my experiences in
Southeast Asia. You may not have won
the lottery and the world’s economic
prospects are uncertain, but through
the imperfections that comprise all of
our lives we would be remiss in not
expressing gratitude for the riches we
all possess.
Until next time, wishing you the best
of everything!
10/28/08
Larry Welch On the run...in Thailand
On the run...in Vietnam
I WANTED A PERFECT ENDING. NOW I’VE
LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT SOME POEMS
DON’T RHYME AND SOME STORIES DON’T
HAVE A CLEAR BEGINNING,MIDDLE AND END.
LIFE IS ABOUT NOT KNOWING,HAVING TO
CHANGE, TAKING THE MOMENT AND
MAKING THE BEST OF IT, WITHOUT KNOWING
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT.
DELICIOUS AMBIGUITY. Gilda
Radner (1946-1989), Emmy-award winning
comedienne and actress, author of It’s
Always Something...
PURPOSE CAN IGNITE YOUR SPIRIT
PROVIDING PERSONAL MEANING AND
DEEP SATISFACTION TO YOUR LIFE. IT IS
THE WHY – WHY YOU ARE HERE
AND YOUR OWN SPECIAL CALLING. IT IS
THE UNIQUE GIFTS AND INSIGHTS
THAT YOU BRING TO THE PLANET AND CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR WORLD.
FUELED BY PURPOSE, THERE IS A FIRE
BENEATH YOUR EFFORTS AND THE
DRIVE TO CONTINUE NO MATTER WHAT THE
CHALLENGE. Cynthia Kersey,
founder, Unstoppable Enterprises;
author of Unstoppable; motivational
speaker; established the Unstoppable
Foundation to raise funds and
awareness for women’s issues worldwide
RELY ON THE ORDINARY VIRTUES THAT
INTELLIGENT, BALANCED HUMAN
BEINGS HAVE RELIED ON FOR CENTURIES:
COMMON SENSE, THRIFT, REALISTIC
EXPECTATIONS, PATIENCE, AND
PERSEVERENCE. John C. Bogle,
founder, retired CEO of the Vanguard
Group, author of The Little Book of
Common Sense Investing Welcome to my e-
news, it's about positive thinking and
written for people striving to be their
best. If you received this publication
in error please send response with the
word unsubscribe in the subject line.
If you would like to extend On the
run... to your friends ask them
to write the word subscribe in the
subject line.
On the run... is written by Larry
Welch, an American living in Thailand.
In his day-to-day routine, Larry is
owner of the Full Moon Rubber
Plantation at Nakhon Phanom and teaches
English at the Suankularb Wittayalai
Rangsit School in a northern suburb of
Bangkok. Gilda Radner National flag of
Vietnam WHEN YOU DISCOVER YOUR
MISSION, YOU WILL FEEL ITS DEMAND. IT
WILL FILL YOU WITH ENTHUSIASM AND A
BURNING DESIRE TO GET TO WORK ON IT.
W. Clement Stone (1902-2002),
businessman, philanthropist,
inspirational speaker, co-author of
Success Through a Positive Mental
Attitude IF YOU THINK THERE IS GOOD IN
EVERYBODY, YOU HAVEN’T MET EVERYBODY.
Anonymous EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US CAN
DO THINGS THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN DO – WE
CAN LOVE THINGS THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN
LOVE. WE ARE LIKE VIOLINS. WE
CAN BE USED FOR DOORSTOPS; OR WE CAN
MAKE MUSIC. YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO.
Barbara Sher, entrepreneur, career
counselor, author of Wishcraft: How
to Get What You Really Want THE HUMAN
CONDITION. Smell the rice, noodles,
and spices simmering in sidewalk
cookery, hear the hum of motorbikes,
watch energetic people with cone hats,
and feel the cool fall breeze beside
a pretty lake. Welcome to a taste
of Vietnam as experienced through
a week at Hanoi. Vietnam is one of
those tantalizing pieces of real
estate that everyone loves. The Chinese
loved it so much that when they
invaded they stayed 1,000 years
notwithstanding invitations to go back
where they came from. Then the French
came in 1847 for an unwelcome
colonization until the Japanese
arrived as another uninvited guest.
The Land of the Rising Sun people were
booted out at the end of World War II,
to be replaced again by the French.
The Viet Minh, an army organized
around nationalism and communism was
finally able to physically evict the
French after an embarrassing military
defeat at the battle of Diem
Bien Phu in 1954. But wait, there’s
more. France’s good friend America
wanted to visit and arrives through
Vietnam’s backdoor in the southern
city of Saigon. Then we see 25
years of America’s presence for better
or worse as they say in many of those
marriage vows. But the union wasn’t a
happy one and the split resulted in
Vietnam now being occupied only by the
Vietnamese people, which makes them
happy and seems to make sense.
As the foreign powers arrived,
occupied and departed, lives were lost
on all sides, but it was mainly the
Vietnamese and neighboring Cambodians
and Laotians who lost the vast number
of people: soldiers and civilians. The
loss of life, disruption of
communities, destruction of historic
monuments and architectural treasures,
and the environmental damage is
astounding. I mention this because
today’s enthusiastic Hanoi Ho Chi Minh
City (Saigon) Bangkok welcoming of
foreigners is the trademark of
forgiveness, resiliency, and strength
in a people who seemingly never give
up.
Walking Hanoi streets I saw
remarkable French architectural
and small mountains of delicious
freshly-baked French breads and
pastries (yum, yum), crossed busy
streets filled with brightly painted
Honda and Suzuki motorbikes, and
heard American pop music floating
out of cafes and restaurants. And
the Chinese, they are in the
architecture of temples and
pagodas, and the faces of the
Vietnamese. While Vietnam is an
economic Asian tiger, China is the
dragon that everyone respects.
In Hanoi as well as Saigon (Ho Chi
Minh City), many residents speak
English and they like to find
foreigners to converse with. When they
learn I am from the USA they
asked about Barack Obama for president
and Bill and Hillary Clinton who had a
good visit there in 2000. I tell them
about John McCain, his five years as a
POW in Hanoi and his work to improve
trade relationships and help
Vietnamese immigrants in the
USA, most don’t know about that.
Officially known as the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam, the country is
only communist in name and censorship
of the media. Led by Saigon’s
inspiring commercial successes,
communism is no longer meaningful to
the government or the people.
In a country of 84 million, Saigon has
only 8 million people but produces 40
percent of the national income. Their
economy, based on free enterprise,
has been expanding at an impressive 8-
9 percent in recent years. That
prosperity is funding a building
spree of large proportion. Everywhere
you see public works construction in
new roads, bridges, and civic
buildings. The number of new and
wellmaintained homes painted in pretty
pastels, shiny new Japanese cars, and
upscale boutiques suggest that being
part of economic globalization is good
for everyone.
The imposing Presidential Palace was
constructed in 1906 as a palace for
the French Governor General of
Indochina. It is now used for official
receptions. Ho Chi Minh, 1945
The memory of Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969)
holds the #1 spot in the hearts of the
Vietnamese. He is their national hero
and a man for all seasons: a kindly
and humble man who believed in
simplicity, he rose to prominence as
the leader who successfully
fought against the French, Japanese
and American forces who occupied his
country. Known as Uncle Ho for his
gentle nature, love of children and
quiet demeanor, his exemplary life as
a revolutionary and government leader
is well assured in Vietnam’s
history books. The hearts of the
Vietnamese also go to their patriot
soldiers who fought generation after
generation to liberate the country
from foreigners. There are monuments
everywhere to their sacrifice.
Vietnam is a youth-oriented
country. With 84 million people it is
the 13th most populace country in
the world. Amazingly, 65 percent
of the people are under age 30 and
that means city streets and country
lanes are filled with kids at joyful
play as well as pursuing serious
efforts at education: primary,
secondary and university studies.
Universities are packed, Hanoi
homes are wired for the Internet,
and globalization is quickly
changing Vietnam’s personality.
As in Thailand and Malaysia,
which have both had major shifts in
population from agriculture and
country living to employment in the
nation’s cities, the Vietnamese
migration is bringing prosperity and
new lines of thought that extend
beyond national borders. University
students optimistically talk about
studying, living, and working abroad.
Vietnam is also a country of
contrasts, almost two nations divided
between the rich and poor, north and
south, urban vs. rural residents, and
an older, more traditional generation
patiently trying to understand today’s
feisty youth culture that is adopting
international norms. Family structure
continues to be important and
wondrous to Westerners as they see
three generations living under one
roof.
Religion in Vietnam is a mix of
Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and
Christianity. Buddhism has two
varieties, one in the north and a
separate system of beliefs in the
south. Northern monks wear brown,
southern monks wear yellow. They both
worship in homes and pagodas. Temples
are used for ancestor and hero
worship. For example, there are
temples devoted to Confucius, Ho Chi
Minh, patriot soldiers, and ancient
rulers of the country. Pagodas are
devoted to the worship of Buddha.
Taoism is a philosophy that emphasizes
contemplation and simplicity while
Confucianism is an Kids at play in Ly
Thai To Park at Hoan Kiem Lake,
Hanoi. An amazingly high percentage of
Vietnam’s population is under age 30.
Whether 3 or 30, the Vietnamese have a
ready smile, curiosity about the
world, and appear industrious at
whatever they’re doing at the moment,
in this case, the kids are busy having
fun on a school outing. ethical code
that promotes personal obligations to
family, society and country.
Christianity is prominent in Vietnam
through Catholicism. There are also
Muslims and Hindus, seemingly
something for everyone. Many of these
beliefs overlap one into another with
people worshipping Buddha, but also
devoting themselves to honoring
ancestors and following the ethical
standards established by Confucius.
There you have a snapshot of the
history, lifestyle, and religion that
I learned about during an exquisite
week visiting Hanoi’s temples,
pagodas, and museums; walking the
streets, sitting in parks, and most
importantly, listening to people. The
quality of the people we meet and
associate with makes all the
difference in our own sense of well
being. Being part of their society,
even in a small way, for my one week
was an enrichment not to be forgotten.
GOOOOOOOOD MORNING, VIETNAM! Adrian
Cronauer, lawyer, US Air Force
disc jockey in Vietnam whose
outrageous experiences in 1965 were
made into a memorable book and movie,
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
NOTHING IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN
INDEPENDENCE AND LIBERTY. Ho Chi
Minh (1890-1969), Communist,
Vietnamese revolutionary, statesman,
prime minister and president,
Democratic Republic of Vietnam
IN CLOSING, thanks for being a part of
my journey to Hanoi. Next time I’ll
tell you about my experiences with the
persistent prostitute; visiting a
massage parlor, pagodas,
temples, museums, lakes, and a water
puppet show; bicycling and boating in
the countryside; and seeing the
children and staff at the Blue Dragon
Children’s Foundation. It was a busy
week, lots of fun, and all good
experiences.
Also, thanks for helping the Blue
Dragon Children’s Foundation by
purchasing my book, Quotations for
Positive People. If you missed this
opportunity, the book is available
through Trafford Publishing,
www.trafford.com; www.amazon.com, and
other on-line booksellers. All
royalties from Quotations benefits
Vietnamese street children with
improved education, health care, food,
housing, and counseling. The book has
788 quotes from 541 smart people and
at 174 pages it is convenient for
quick reading and easy referral in
finding your favorite insights. All
the quotations appeared in On the
run... from 1998 to 2005.
Keep being your great self!
10/11/08
On the run...in Thailand
I HAD NO NATURAL GIFT TO BE ANY THING -
NOT AN ATHLETE, NOT AN ACTOR, NOT A
WRITER, NOT A DIRECTOR, A PAINTER OF
GARDEN PORCHES – NOT ANYTHING. SO I’VE
WORKED REALLY HARD, BECAUSE NOTHING
EVER CAME EASILY TO ME. Paul Newman
(1925-2008), actor and director,
classy sex symbol; founder, Newman’s
Own; humanitarian; race car driver;
World War II tail
gunner on US Navy Avenger torpedo
planes; Academy Award for Best Actor,
1986, The Color of Money
LIFE IS MADE OF MILLIONS OF MOMENTS,
BUT WE LIVE ONLY ONE OF THEM AT A TIME.
AS WE BEGIN TO CHANGE THIS MOMENT, WE
BEGIN TO CHANGE OUR LIVES. Trinidad
Hunt, author, educator, consultant,
and trainer OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD LIFE
DETERMINES LIFE’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS US.
Earl Nightingale (1921-89), radio
personality, entrepreneur, writer,
author of The Strangest Secret, one of
12 US Marine survivor, USS Arizona
sinking at Pearl Harbor
Welcome to my e-news, it's about
positive thinking and written
for people striving to be their best.
If you received this publication in
error please send response with the
word "unsubscribe" in the subject
line. If you would like to extend On
the run... to your friends ask them to
write the word "subscribe"
in the subject line. On the run... is
written by Larry Welch, an
American living in Thailand. In his
day-to-day routine, Larry is
owner of the Full Moon Rubber
Plantation at Nakhon Phanom
and teaches English at the Suankularb
Wittayalai Rangsit School in a
northern suburb of Bangkok.
UNLESS YOU TRY TO DO SOMETHING BEYOND
WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY
MASTERED, YOU WILL NEVER GROW. Ralph
Waldo Emerson (1802-82), essayist,
philosopher, civil rights activist
EVERYONE IS NECESSARILY THE HERO OF
HIS OWN LIFE STORY. John Barth,
novelist, short-story writer, educator
Paul Newman LET NO ONE EVER COME TO YOU
WITHOUT LEAVING BETTER AND
HAPPIER. BE THE LIVING EXPRESSION
OF GOD’S KINDNESS: KINDNESS IN
YOUR FACE, KINDNESS IN YOUR EYES,
AND KINDNESS IN YOUR SMILE. Mother
Teresa (1910-97), Albanian Roman
Catholic nun; founded Missionaries of
Charity at Calcutta, India;
humanitarian; Nobel Laureate, 1979
THE HUMAN CONDITION. In the streets
of Bangkok there were tears from two
months of frustrating protests by the
People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD)
for the government to reinvigorate its
democratic processes. Now there is
blood from violent clashes between the
police and protesters on October 7 (2
killed, 443 injured).
To understand the political ineptitude,
take a glance back to September 2006,
when a bloodless military coup in
Bangkok brought down Thaksin
Shinawatra as prime minister. He was
also head of the PPP (Peoples Power
Party) and his abuse of power was
legendary. In 2008, a military
government generally regarded as honest
but inept, steered the country to a new
constitution and election of a new
government. The PPP, noted for populist
politics and openly buying votes in
Thailand’s vast rural areas, was able
to reestablish its power base in
government with the election of Samak
Sundaravej as prime minister. Samak
had been a political lieutenant to
crooked Prime Minister
Thaksin. Although the rural voters
(low income farmers) generally favored
him, urban residents were repulsed by
election fraud, his arrogance and the
appointment of savory characters to
his administration. Urbanites in
Thailand are well-educated, middle
class, government employees,
intellectuals, unionists, businessmen
and women, and royalists.
Full Moon Rubber Plantation, Nakhon
Phanom, Thailand is my investment
property and postretirement project.
Location of the Suankularb Wittayalai
Rangsit School, where I am fortunate
to be employed as a teacher, a second
retirement project. Terrorism activity
in three southern provinces (county
equivalent) that targets police,
military, school administrators,
teachers, community leaders, and
government officials, There have been
3,000 deaths in past 6 ears.
Especially nasty, 30 Map of Thai
soldiers standby on a street corner
near Government House to confront
demonstrators, if Samak was forced to
resign because of ethics violations in
late September after a short time in
office. The parliament then elected
Somchai Wongsawat as the new prime
minister. He is the brother-in-law of
Thaksin Shinawatra, the corrupt prime
minister ousted in 2006. Do you smell
a rat? PAD protesters and their
supporters said that it stinks.
Concerned about good governance, they
were insulted and have continued their
protests by occupying government
buildings, generating work stoppages,
and slowing transportation. Further
to political tensions are a snail-
paced economy, high energy costs, a
border dispute with Cambodia, serious
terrorism attacks in the country’s
south, and extensive flooding in rural
areas. And so it goes...
How are the Thai people holding up?
According to specialists in mental
health, stress is forcing more to call
hotlines and seek treatment. But not
many Thais mention politics as putting
them into depression. Most prominent
are the factors that bother people
living in the western world: stress
from job dissatisfaction, problems
with workmates, loneliness, and maybe
unique to Asia: women complaining
about philandering husbands. Are you
feeling blue? If yes, welcome to the
club! The World Health Organization
reports 154 million people around
the world suffering from depression
and that was before the global
economic meltdown.
I understand chocolate helps!
Although Thailand’s economy isn’t as
strong as earlier in the year because
of the world financial crisis, they
have a solid export basis in
agriculture. Known as a global
kitchen for its food production,
Thailand is the world’s #1 exporter of
rice producing over 20 million tons
annually with only half consumed by
its people. Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates, food importers,
have placed record orders to meet
their own domestic demand. These
energy rich countries have an
interesting problem in that no
matter how much money they acquire
they can’t eat oil.
A month ago, Transparency
International released its annual
report on global corruption. Thailand
is now ranked 80th of 180 countries
and improved slightly from the year
prior while the US was perceived as
slightly less honest with a rank of
17th. The US dropped in the trust
category because of a widespread sense
that political finance is in need of
reform with lobbyists and special
interest groups perceived to have an
unfair hold on decision making. Least
corrupt countries are Denmark, Sweden,
New Zealand and Singapore. Worst are
Somalia, Burma, and Iraq.
Populist Politics The populist
political movement as represented by
the People’s Power Party in Thailand
uses practices seen around the world
including the USA. Populist oliticians
typically appeal to lower income
constituencies to attract their
votes. It has sometimes been used as a
tool, in combination with nationalism,
jingoism, racism, or religious
fundamentalism. Populism is a political
philosophy that isn’t always healthy
for the majority. My assessment of
populist movements is that it appeals
to emotions vs. rationality, divides
instead of unites, and is
destabilizing in the long run. The
experiences of Thailand with over 60
years of democratic development has
been erratic with 19 successful coups
to replace unpopular governments, most
of which used populism as a primary
means of gaining popularity.
Drugs continue to be a problem and
although Thailand’s production of
opium is down, the use of speed
(methamphetamines) is up with drug
addicts most prominent in
Bangkok. Narcotics control officers
estimate that 2-3 million speed pills
are smuggled into Thailand each month.
Of interest, there has been progress
in curbing the cultivation of poppies
for opium by hill tribe people in
Thailand’s golden triangle. In
1985, the area devoted to raising
poppies was 22,000 acres. By 2004, the
area had shrunk to 280 acres and today
stands at about 480 acres. The
reduction was due to a Royal program
to assist farmers with alternate crops
along with crackdowns by the Thai
army and police. Last January, Her
Royal Highness Princess
Galyani Vadhana passed away at age 84.
Her body continues to lie in state at
the Grand Palace in Bangkok, but in
November she will be sent off to
heaven. Plans have long been underway
to give her a well deserved farewell
with a series of royal ceremonies. The
Princess, elder sister of King
Bhumibol Adulyadej, will take a last
ride in a Royal Chariot, which is a
centuries-old tradition. The
ceremony will involve 3,300 soldiers,
and three Royal Chariots that are at
least 200 years old. Recently,
politicians and priests blessed the
chariot to be used to carry her body
and that should make her last trip a
pleasant one. No other country holds
their royal family in such high
regard. Within six days of her
death, 118,000 people signed her
condolences book.
That’s life in Thailand: tears, blood,
corruption, drugs, flooding, stress,
and saying farewell to a beloved
princess. My perennial comment when
ask, How’s it going? Is to say, there
aren’t any dull moments, and now you
know why.
THE IMPOSSIBLE CAN BE ACHIEVED;
MIRACLES TAKE A LITTLE LONGER, ALL
YOU NEED IS PATIENCE. Ziyad Awn (1919-
1965), M.D., Major, Royal Army
services Corps, Sri Lanka
MY FORMULA FOR SUCCESS IN ALL THINGS:
PATIENCE, PERSISTENCE AND
MORE PATIENCE. Peter Case, Gunner’s
Mate Chief, U.S. Navy SEAL
IF YOU ARE TIRED, KEEP GOING; IF YOU
ARE SCARED, KEEP GOING; IF YOU
ARE HUNGRY, KEEP GOING; IF YOU WANT TO
TASTE FREEDOM, KEEP GOING.
Harriet Tubman (c. 1820-1913),
conductor on the Underground Railroad,
American Civil War scout and spy,
civil rights activist An early
portrait of HRH Princess Galyani
Vadhana, a beloved and missed
member of Thai’s royal IN CLOSING, I
am now in Hanoi, Vietnam, on a
teacher’s holiday. My school resumes
studies on October 27 and if the good
Lord is willing I’ll be there to make
a small contribution. In North Vietnam
I am planning to see highlights of
Hanoi including the lake where John
McCain crashed when his plane was shot
down during the Vietnam War and where
he spent his five years as a prisoner
of war; take day trips outside the
city, and most importantly to visit
The Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation.
Vietnam is a sensational, vibrant
country with an exotic nature second
to none.
If you’d like to order my books
Quotations for Positive People (2008)
or Mary Virginia, A Father’s Story
(2003), they are available at
www.trafford.com or
www.amazon.com. Royalties from
Quotations for Positive People benefit
The Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation.
Wishing you a good luck day!
09/14/08
Larry Welch On the run...in Thailand
View full sizeMISTAKES ARE PART OF THE
DUES ONE PAYS FOR A FULL LIFE. Sophia
Loren, Italian actress, Academy Award
for Best Actress, 1961; sex symbol
(Photograph at left)
WHERE DID I COME FROM? THE BABY ASKED
ITS MOTHER. SHE ANSWERED, HALF-
CRYING, HALF-LAUGHING, AND CLASPING
THE BABY TO HER BREAST: YOU WERE
HIDDEN IN MY HEART AS ITS DESIRE, MY
DARLING. YOU WERE IN THE DOLLS OF ALL
MY CHILDHOOD GAMES. IN ALL MY HOPES
AND LOVES, IN MY LIFE, IN THE LIFE OF
MY MOTHER, AND IN HER MOTHER BEFORE
HER, YOU HAVE LIVED. IN THE TOP OF
THE ET ERNAL SPIRIT YOU HAVE BEEN
NURSED AND ANTICIPATED FOR AGES.
Rabindranath Tagore (1861 -1941),
Indian poet, 1913 Nobel laureate
YOUR BIGGEST BREAK CAN COME FROM NEVER
QUITTING. BEING AT THE RIGHT PLACE
AT THE RIGHT TIME CAN ONLY HAPPEN WHEN
YOU KEEP MOVING TOWARD THE NEXT
OPPORTUNITY. Arthur Pine (1917-2000),
l iterary agent
View full size
Welcome to my e-news, it's about
positive thinking and written for
people striv ing to be their best. If
you received this publication in error
please send response with the
word "unsubscribe" in the subject
line. If you would like to extend On
the run... to your friends ask them to
write the word "subscribe" in the
subject line. Written by Larry Welch,
an American living at Bangkok,
Thailand. Photo at right taken
several weeks ago at a park in B
angkok.
TO BE ABLE TO PRACTICE FIVE THINGS
EVERYWHERE UNDER THE HEAVEN
CONSTITUTES PERFECT VIRTUE: GRAVITY,
GENEROSITY OF SOUL, SINCERITY, EARNES
TNESS, AND KINDNESS. Confucius (551-
479 BC), Chinese philosopher
PAY ATTENTION. WALK WITH BEAUTY…SHOW
COMPASSION. BUILD CONNECTIONS…LOVE
ENTHUSIASM AND FAITH. GRANT
FORGIVENESS…LIVE WITH GRATITUD E AND
SHARE THE HOPE THAT BINDS THE HUMAN
RACE. Excerpted from a modified 2nd
Verse, What a Friend We Have in Jesus,
written by Joseph Scriven, 1857.
Scriven (1819-1886) was an Irish
philanthropist who devoted his20life
to helping others
THE HUMAN CONDITION. This is about
the fascinating world of Thailand.
The population of 63-million live in
an area the size of California or
France, and just a s everywhere else
life is complicated. The people are
embroiled in as much drama as anywhere
on earth. As a third world,
developing country immersed in
globalization, the Thai people are
torn between tradition and ways of the
future. Poor farming families are
leaving the land to be part of the
country’s industrial revolution; th e
children are becoming young adults,
going to universities and slowly
taking their leadership positions with
the international community. There are
still plenty of poor people, but the
trend is toward more prosperity.
The Kingdom of Thailand is an
interesting place for an expatriate to
live. There are few dull moments and
the day-to-day events k eep me
wondering and growing as I learn more
about the Asian world. The King of
Thailand, Bhumibol A dulyadej is 80
and the oldest living monarch, he’s
also been on the job longer than any
of the other international royals. If
all the kings and queens in the world
were put into one palace and their
wealth counted, the King of Thailand
would20come out on top with 35 billion
dollars. He and his family are highly
respected because they do an
absolutely splendid job of supporting
the people. They have used resources
wisely by spearheading 3,000 projects
that lift standards of life among the
rural poor.
As a democratic-monarchy, there is
another side to the equation and that
is people support by the
democratically elected parliament.
Unfortunately20that government power
center doesn't function as well. It
is dominated by corrupt, populist
politicians who don’t always have the
best interest of the people at heart.
Disappointment and frustration have
recently been overflowing with
protesters calling for the
resignation=2 0of the Prime Minister,
Samak Sundaravej. He was eventually
brought down from office because of
ethical v
View full sizeiolations in his hosting
of two television cooking shows (I am
not making this up). Since taking
office seven months ago, the prime
minister had been clueless to the
professional respo nsibilities of his
office. He appointed corrupt cronies
into his administration’s key
positions, shunned the media, and
presented an arrogant public persona.
One of Thailand’s major political p
arties, The People’s Alliance for
Democracy (PAD), protested for his
resignation by occupying seven
government buildings for a couple of
weeks, and several people were killed
during public protests by an opposing
political party in counter protests.
The police and army monitored events
closely. Now that Samak has been
court-removed from office his party,
The People’s Power Party (PPP), is
nominating him a second time to be
prime minister, a move that has caused
widespread irritation with ministers
in parliament. Photograph at left
above shows PAD protesters at Victory
Monument, near to downtown Bangk ok.
In the parliament, Democratic Minister
Malinee Sukvejworakij, who is a doctor
of medici ne, said Prime Minister
Samak showed symptoms of a mental
deficiency and behavioral disorder.
She continued that he has done a few
things that would indicate he has a
low IQ and emotional quotient. Samak
countered that he is not crazy. And
so it goes…
Democracy was introduced in Thailand
in 1934, since that time there have
been 19 successful coups to overthrow
the governing politicians. Because of
the head-of-steam driving protesters
and the prime minister’s
inflexibility, it would appear that a
coup,=2 0bloodless or otherwise, is on
the horizon.
Besides the political crisis, which
has resulted in declaration of a State
of Emergency by the Samak government,
the Thai people have been jostled by
increased food and energy costs, a
frustrating20border dispute with
Cambodia, a continuing and serious
terrorism threat in three southe rn
provinces, and slowed economic
development driven by events in the
world’s developed nations. Tourism
accounts for 6 percent of the national
income, 25 countries have issued
travel advisories against travel to
Thailand because of the potential for
violence, and income from tourism is
down about 30 percent. The number of
tourists arriving in Bangkok has been
reduced from 120,000 a day to 80,000.
Outside of the rough and tumble world
of political conflict life is
continuing in an interesting fashion:
Legislators at the seat of national
government in Bangkok have passed a
law focused on helping the poorest
members of Thai society. It is a six-
point plan that cuts taxes for diesel
and gasohol, provides free electricity
and water for small households, free
buses for Bangkok residents, and free
third-class train travel. I now save
$6 a month by receiving free water at
my home. The government has also
introduced a bill to license beggars.
This new law would require beggars to
register and carry their ID cards when
going ab out their “work.”
This is the rainy season and flooding
has been especially bad along the
Mekong River Valley. Experts on water
control attribute the flooding to
China, which has constructed three
large dams that artificially control
water flow s. Efforts to communicate
with the Chinese on this issue have
not been particularly fruitful. The
Mekong River is 1,250 miles in length,
465 miles are in Thailand where it
defines the border between Laos and
Thailand befor e entering Cambodia and
finishing its journey in Vietnam by
flowing into the South China Sea.
At Samut Prakan, a suburban province
(provinces are county equivalents) of
Bangkok, 499 Buddhist,
View full sizeChristian, Islamic and
Hindu priests recently gathered to
pray against an expected storm surge
in October. The surge is expected as
a result of strong onshore winds, low-
lying land, and heavy rains. Religious
gathering shown at left. Also in the
province, Mr. Choochat
Dulayapraphatsom, has been elected as
a village chief. Mr. Choochat, also
called Je Kob, or older sis ter, is a
transvestite and received the most
votes because of his many years of
service to the community. Thailand’s
p lastic surgeons are among the best
practiced in the world in20altering
body parts. The transvestite
community is estimated to range from
10-100,000, in other words, nobody
knows for sure.
Teen violence is on the rise and
headlined with several teens recently
involved in murder. Worst was a lad
who needed money to feed his addiction
to video games. He tried to support
his habit by robbing an elderly taxi
driver. The event went wrong, driver
dead. In another incident, a 9th
grader stabbed to death an 11th grader
who had repeatedly taunted and spat on
him. From a student population of 14
million there have been 3,000
incidents of student fighting in the
past 11 months--high by Thai
standards, but extremely low by
experience in developed nations.
Social scientists attribute these acts
to violent films and news reports,
game machines, computer gam es, the
Internet , TV programming, novels and
cartoons. No surprises there.
Thailand is also a permissive society
where children are raised on pure
kindness with less regard toward
discipline.
Three provinces (Pattini, Yala, and
Narathiwat) in South Thailand suffer
terribly from terrorism violence.
Sadly, the insurgency is a separatist
campaign with Islamic terrorists
attempting to influence a breakaway
from Buddhist Thailand. They target
teachers, school principals,
government workers, m onks, Buddhist
villagers, police and soldiers with
students caught in the crossfire. The
death toll is now at 3,000 from about
7,000 acts of violence in the past 5
years.
And so it goes from poor politics to
terrorism, sandwiched in between are
lovely people, beautiful countryside
and an inter esting culture, not your
everyday fare but certainly the right
ingredients for a spicy concoctions as
only the Thais can serve it.
KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO TRY TO
BELITTLE YOUR AMBITIONS. SMALL PEOPLE
ALWAYS DO THAT, BUT THE=2 0REALLY
GREAT MAKE YOU FEEL THAT YOU, TOO, CAN
BECOME GREAT. Mark Twain(1835-1910),
humorist, lecturer, writer, steamboat
pilot, traveler, legend, folk hero
BETTER KEEP YOURSELF CLEAN AND BRIGHT;
YOU ARE THE WINDOW THROUGH WHICH YOU
MUST SEE THE WORLD. George Bernard
Shaw (1856-1950), Irish playwright
View full size
IN CLOSING, Thank you for reading
along and don’t forget you can get my
book, Quotations for Positive People,
at www.trafford.com or w
ww.amazon.com. All royalties benefit
the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation
in Hanoi, Vietnam. The first $270 in
royalties from the book was donated to
Blue Dragon several weeks ago. Thanks
for your support to me and those
children. Poster at right created by
Vietnamese street urchin under care of
Blue Dragon.
08/15/08
Larry Welch On the run...in Thailand
PANDORA, A PRINCESS OF ANCIENT GREECE,
WAS GIVEN A GIFT, A MYSTERIOUS BOX, BY
GODS JEALOUS OF HER BEAUTY. SHE WAS
TOLD SHE MUST NEVER OPEN THE GIFT.
BUT ONE DAY, OVERCOME BY CURIOSITY AND
TEMPTATION, PANDORA LIFTED THE LID TO
PEEK IN, LETTING LOOSE IN THE WORLD
THE GRAND AFFLICTIONS OF DISEASE,
MALAISE, AND MADNESS. BUT A
COMPASSIONATE GOD LET HER CLOSE THE
BOX JUST IN TIME TO CAPTURE THE ONE
ANTIDOTE THAT MAKES LIFE’S MISERY
BEARABLE. WHAT WAS IT? HOPE!
Anonymous
WE LOST OUR OLDEST BOY IN VIETNAM. I
WAS IN ON THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL FROM
THE VERY START, AND EVERY TIME I'M IN
WASHINGTON I GO TO IT. THERE ARE
58,000 NAMES, BUT I CAN PICK OUT MY
SON'S NAME WITH MY EYE'S CLOSED. The
late James Stewart (1908-97) referring
to his son Ronald, a Marine lieutenant
killed in action at Danang in 1970.
Jimmy Stewart led a20fascinating life
as an actor, US Air Force Brigadier
General, poet, patriot, and Boy Scout
leader, Academy Award for Best Actor
in The Philadelphia Story (1941).
Photograph of Stewart at right.
Welcome to my e-news, it's about
positive thinking and written for
people striving to be their best. If
you received this publication in error
please send response with the
word "unsubscribe" in the subject
line. If you would like to extend On
the run... to your friends ask them to
write the word "subscribe" in the
subject line. Written by Larry Welch,
an American living at Bangkok,
Thailand.
THE PAST IS NOT A ROW OF BARE FACTS
WAITING TO BE MEMORIZED BY SCHOOL
CHILDREN. NOR DOES IT STAND IN OUR
BACKYARD LIKE AN OLD PICKET FENCE,
SLOWLY AND SILENTLY ROTTING. THE PAST
IS A REAL WORLD, INHABITED BY VILLAINS
AND HEROES AND REGULAR FOLK PASSING
THIS WAY ON SWIFT JOURNEYS. THEIR
STORY IS OUR STORY—THE TIE THAT BINDS
EACH GENERATION TO ALL THE OTHERS.
Bill Moyers, journalist, public
commentator, White House Press
Secretary (1965-67), President,
Schumann Center for Media and Democracy
SELF ESTEEM IN CHILDREN HINGES ON
NEARLY EVERY WORD UTTERED BY
SIGNIFICANT ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES.
CHILDREN WATCH HOW ADULTS LOOK AT THEM…
THEY DRAW CONCLUSIONS FROM ADULT’S
REACTIONS TO THEM AND TREAT THESE
CONCLUSIONS AS TRUTHS. Dr. Louis
Hart, psychologist and author of The
Winning Family: Increasing Self-
Esteem in Your Children and Yourself
THE HUMAN CONDITION. Those old
enough to remember American actor
William Holden (1918-1981) may also
recall 1957’s movie, Bridge Over the
River Kwai. The movie won an Academy
Award for Best Picture; Holden had won
an Academy Award for Best Actor
several years earlier in 1954. That
movie was Stalag 17. I mention Bridge
Over the River Kwai because it was an
enthralling anti-war movie that used
Thailand as an historical backdrop.
Bridge Over the River Kwai was a work
of fiction based on the novel Le Pont
de la Riviere Kwai by Frenchman Pierre
Boulle. Boulle had been=2 0a French
prisoner of war in Thailand and based
his novel on the accurate hist orical
setting in construction of the
Thailand-Burma Railroad, also known as
the Death Railway.
Construction of the railway was a
Japanese war crime in the Asian
Holocaust in which millions of
civilians and POWs were killed.
The Japanese used about 260,000
conscripted Asian civilians and 60,000
POWs mainly from Australia, England,
and Netherland. Of the 60,000 men,
there were only about 700 Americans,
but over 50 percent died working on
the railway, an unusually high ratio
compared to POWs from other
countries. There is a Bridge Over the
River Kwai, which fits the historical
context of the movie and novel, except
it is the Bridge Over the River Khwae
Yai at the small town of Kanchanaburi,
about 100 miles northeast of Bangkok.
At Kanchanaburi and the surrounding
area there are museums, cemeteries and
other memorials to mark the
brutalizing undertaking. Orchestrated
by the Imperial Japanese Army, the
railway was doomed from the start. In
an aerial survey to determin
View full sizee the best route, the
senior Japanese engineer, Lieutenant
General Shimada Nobuo and 11 other
senior officers disappeared in an
airplane crash. The terrain is still
just as rugged as it was in 1942 as
the plane wreckage and bodies have
never been found. The result of this
tragic accident was that junior
engineers prepared a
flawed20construction plan that
needlessly cost time and the lives of
workers. Photograph at right is
Bridge Over the River Kwai.
It is estimated that 100,000 civilians
and 12-16,000 POWs died from
starvation, untreated diseases,
overwork, and brutality. While the
bodies went to mass graves near
railroad camps, the POWs were
eventually reinterred into neatly
maintained military cemeteries near
the railroad. These cemeteries are
maintained by the Commonwealth War
Graves Commission. Three hundred and
fifty-six American bodies were
returned to the US for burial.
Historians theorize that civilian
deaths were much higher because the
civilians lacked the discipline of
military POWs.
Of note, the Comm onwealth War Graves
Commission was started in 1917 as a
nonprofit British or
View full sizeganization. It now
maintains 2,500 cemeteries in 150
countries for over one million
military men and women killed in war.
Photograph at left shows brass plate
displayed at entrance to war cemetary
at Kanchanaburi.
A quick historical perspective: In
1942, a force of 25,000 Japanese
soldiers overran the British force of
85,000 from the Malay Peninsula and
Singapore, giving Great Britain its
View full sizemost crushing defeat in
history. At about the same time, the
Japanese conquered the Dutch East
Indies (Indonesia). The end result
was that Japan found itself with an
unexpected 140 ,000 POWs, a convenient
form of manpower that could help make
their plans of a railroad from
Bangkok, Thailand to Rangoon, Burma
(now Myanmar) a reality. The railroad
would be 415 kms (258 miles) long
passing through such places as
Hellfire Pass and Three Pagodas Pass.
Purpose of the proposed railway was to
move about 3,000 tons of supplies a
day to provision an envisioned in
vasion of India and to maintain the
war front in Burma. The railway
connected a n already existing line
that ran from Singapore through Malaya
and across Southern Thailand to
Bangkok. Photograph at right is
memorial at Kamchanaburi War
Cemetery. The cemetary is the final
resting place for over 5,000
Commonwealth and 1,800 Dutch military
men.
Taking the rugged jungle terrain into
account, the first engineering study
by the Japanese indicated it would
take an estimated five years to
complete the railroad. However, using
brutality as motivation to move men
beyond normal endurance the project
was completed in 16 months. The cost
was death. Every kilometer of track
cost the lives of 38 POWs.
Stated in October 1942, the line was
comp leted in August 1943. As a
monument to the effort there are thre
View full sizee military cemeteries:
Kanchanaburi and Chungkai in Thailand,
and Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar. Passing
through the beautifully landscaped
cemeteries is to be reminded of the
indecency of cruelty that man can
inflict on man. Many of the POW
casualties were young men in their
late teens and early twenties. They
died from torture, malaria, cholera,
and dysentery; lack of medical care;
and overwork. Photograph at left
shows grave marker for B.R. Woods, 18-
years old, a son of Australia.
After building was completed, many
civilians and a few POWs were
reassigned to railroad maintenance and
cutting fuel for the locomotives.
Other POWs were transferred to Japan
to work in mines and factories in
support of the war effort, others were
returned to the infamous Changi Prison
at Singapore.
The British and Americans flew bombing
missions over the line starting in
December 1944. Their targets were
mainly bridges. Bridge Over the River
Kwai, also known as Bridge 277, was of
steel constructi on mounted on
concrete pilings. The bridge had been
disassembled in Java, Indonesia, and
shipped to Thailand in pieces. Major
spans were destroyed by British and
American bombing runs in February and
April 1944. On many of the numerous
allied attempts to destroy bridges,
POWs became casualties in the
crossfire as bombs missed their
targets and sh rapnel from
antiaircraft fire fell from the sky.
In one instance the Japanese lined
Bridge 277 with allied POWs to
discourage the allies from dropping
bombs on the bridge. Sixty-eight POWs
died as several spans of the bridge
were destroyed.
In the best of times the railroad
never reached the intended movement of
3,000 tons of supplies daily; 1,000
tons was the best they could manage.
Even as the Japanese surrendered and
the war ended, the human destruction
continued as many of the POWs were
crippled for the rest of their lives.
Others spent the rest of their days in
hospitals. Some suffered mental
proble ms, marriages were torn apart,
and maybe the most tragic events were
the suicides of men who had survived
years of captivity and slavery.
The movie, Bridge Over the River Kwai,
garnered seven A cademy Awards.
Besides Best Picture, awards were
presented for Best Actor, Best
Director, Best Screenplay, Best Score,
Best Cinematography, and Best Film
Editing. A memorable feature of the
film was a tune whistled by the POWs.
Entitled The Colonel Bogey March, it
was a tune that typified British
fortitude and dignity during times of
privation. The lush Thai jungle
scenery wasn’t really Thai as the
movie was made in Ceylon (now Sri
Lanka), a large tropical island off
the coast of Southern India. Bridge
Over the River Kwai continues to be a
highly watchable movie because of the
compelling story and all-around
excellence of production. If you
haven’t seen it recently it’s
available at www.amazon.com and other
on-line sources.
EACH ONE OF US HAS A FIRE IN OUR HEART
FOR SOMETHING. IT’S OUR GOAL IN LIFE
TO FIND IT AND TO KEEP IT LIT. Mary
Lou20Retton, gymnast, Olympic Gold
Medalist, won one gold, two silver and
two bronze medals, 1984 Los Angeles
Summer Olympics, member, President’s
Council on Fitness and Sports;
actress, motivational speaker, sports
commentator
LIFE IS A GREAT WHISPERING GALLERY
THAT SENDS BACK ECHOES OF THE WORDS WE
SEND OUT. ELOQUENT WORDS WILL SEND
ARMIES MARCHING INTO THE FACE OF
DEATH. ENCOURAGING WORDS WILL MOLD
THE PUBLIC MIND AS THE SCULPTOR MOLDS
CLAY. HOW OTHERS REACT TOWARD US
DEPENDS, IN LARGE MEASURE, UPON THE
WORDS WE SPEAK. WHEN YOU SPEAK, WHEN
YOU WRITE, REMEMBER THE CREATIVE POWER
OF WOR DS. Wilferd Peterson (1900-
95), Michigan resident, Vice
President, Jaqua Company, author of
The Art of Living, his books and
essays promoted healthy and peaceful
living
IN CLOSING: Thanks to friends Nisa
and Wayne King in California; Jim
O’Hara, Steve and Jan Smith, and Rana
Kahl in Northern Virginia; Diana Fra
View full sizentz in New York; Lane
Ford in Maryland; and my niece Lea Ann
Nichols and sister Linda Freshour,
both Michigan. I owe a debt of
gratitude for their help in either
seeking a home for one of my students,
Natdanai "Best" Phiwsan, or
considering him for a likely resident
in their own homes. Best will be an
exchange student to the USA in January
2009. Currently, he is a junior at my
school, Suan Kularb Wittayalai, and
has bee n selected for a semester of
foreign stu dies at a high school in
America with Youth for
Understanding. Huge thanks and a
round of applause goes to Steve and
Jan Smith and their three children for
their grace in sponsoring Best into
their home. This effort was
especially gratifying for me. Besides
being one of my English students,
Best’s mother, Duangjai, is a teaching
colleague in the school’s Foreign
Language Department. Photograph at
left is Duangjai and son Best.
Last month I mentioned meeting Jack
and Carol Hines in Bangkok as they
att
Vie w full sizeended the Lions Club
International 91st convention.
Although we had maintained a long-
distance relationship through On the
run... for years, I had never met the
couple who hail from Rogers,
Minnesota. When I wrote of them I had
wanted to publish a picture, but my
computer was stubbornly resisti ng
disclosing just where the photograph
was filed (concealed). Now the
mystery has been solved and the
picture is included at right. Left to
right are Jack and Carol Hines,
Sirinan Boonyo, and Larry Welch at the
Roadhouse BBQ Smokehouse & Grill, an
American-style restaurant in Bangkok.
If you haven’t gotten your copy of
Quotations for Positive People, you
can order from www .trafford.com or
www.amazon.com. Royalties from the
book benefit The Blue Dragon
Children’s Foundation in Vietnam. The
700+ quotes in the book were taken
from back issues of On the run… To
date, 27 people have purchased 82
copies providing royalties of $250 to
help disadvantaged children in
Vietnam.
Thanks for reading to this point
without hitting the delete key. You
are indeed a loyal reader! J
07/24/08
Larry Welch On the run...in Thailand
ACTUALLY, ALL EDUCATION IS SELF-
EDUCATION. A TEACHER IS ONLY A GUIDE
TO POINT OUT THE WAY AND NO SCHOOL NO
MATTER HOW EXCELLENT CAN GIVE YOU AN
EDUCATION. WHAT YOU RECEIVE IS LIKE
THE OUTLINES IN A CHILD’S COLORING
BOOK, YOU MUST FILL IN THE COLORS
YOURSELF. Louis L’Amour (1908-88),
cowboy philosopher, one of the most
prolific and bestselling authors of
all time
A MAN ONLY LEARNS IN TWO WAYS, ONE BY
READING, AND THE OTHER BY ASSOCIATION
WITH SMARTER PEOPLE. Will Rogers (1879-
1935), beloved cowboy philosopher-
humorist, author, newspaper columnist,
actor
View full sizeWelcome to my e-news,
it's about positive thinking and
written for people striving to be
their best. If you received this
publication in error please send
response with the word "unsubscribe"
in the subject line. If you would like
to extend On the run... to your
friends ask them to write the
word "subscribe" in the subject line.
Written by Larry Welch, an American
living at Bangkok, Thailand. Kingdom
of Thailand national flag=2 0at right.
THE COWBOY CODE
1. THE COWBOY MUST NEVER SHOOT FIRST,
HIT A SMALLER MAN, OR TAKES UNFAIR
ADVANTAGE.
2. HE MUST NEVER GO BACK ON HIS WORD,
OR A TRUST CONFIDED TO HIM.
3. HE MUST ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH.
View full size
4. HE MUST BE GENTLE WITH CHILDREN,
THE ELDERLY AND WOMEN.
5. HE MUST NOT ADVOCATE OR POSSESS
RACIALLY OR RELIGIOUSLY INTOLERANT
IDEAS.
6. HE MUST HELP PEOPLE IN DISTRESS
7.=2 0HE MUS T BE A GOOD WORKER.
8. HE MUST KEEP HIMSELF CLEAN IN
THOUGHT, SPEECH, ACTION, AND PERSONAL
HABITS.
9. HE MUST RESPECT PARENTS, WOMEN,
AND HIS COUNTRIES LAWS.
10. THE COWBOY IS A PATRIOT.
Attributed to Orvin Gene Autry (1907-
1998), cowboy actor, songwriter,
recording artist, entrepreneur, member
Cowboy Hall of Fame. Known as the
Singing Cowboy, Autry used his Melody
Ranch as a base for he and his horse
Champion to star in hundreds of
western films, television shows, and
radio dramas (Photograph upper right)
THE MOST IMPORTANT SINGLE INGREDIENT
IN THE FORMULA OF SUCCESS IS KNOWING
HOW TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE.
Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), 26th
President of the United States,
rancher, prolific author, Nobel
Laureate, 1907
THE HUMAN CONDITION. As much as I
travel the wonder of seeing the volume
and diversity of exported American
culture never ceases to amaze me. We
export our lifestyle, heritage,
democrat ic beliefs, good humor, and
so much more through books, movies,
music, and thousands of US
multinational companies, which share
technology, managerial style, and
sense of fair play in the workplace.
Thailand’s Chokchai Balakul grew up
watching American western movies, as
he often good-naturedly conveyed to
family and friends, “I always wanted
to be a cowboy.”
For a few years in my early life
that’s what I thought about, too. But
I outgrew such thoughts after
shoveling enough smelly cow and horse
manure on my grandparent’s farm to
make such thoughts just part of a
phase kids go through. Mr. Balakul
didn’t change his childhood notion of
being a cowboy and as a result he came
to set in motion a business empire
that conveys America’s western
heritage.
Several weeks ago, was fortunate to
travel on a field trip with 11th
graders at my school, Suan Kularb
Wittayalai Rangsit School, to Chokchai
Farm at Nakhon Ratchasima, 160 kms
(100 miles) northeast of Bangkok, to
see a fascinating Thai-American
tradition at work. Five of the five
hundred students are shown below.
Photo entitled, Thai Girl Power.
View full size
With 8,000 acres and 5,000 cattle,
Chokchai Farm is more than a dot on
Thailand’s business map. A
construction contractor who worked for
Americans in Southeast Asia building
roads and runways, Mr. Balakul made
his first modest land purchase of 100
acres in 1957. By 1969, the business
was the largest and m ost advanced
cattle ranch20in Thailand and Chokchai
opened the first of three
steakhouses. In 1978, the company had
developed a new dairy breed, the
Chokchai Friesian by crossbreeding
Sahiwal and Holstein Friesians from
the Netherlands. This new breed of
dairy cow proved most productive in
Asia’s tropical climate. Today 500
Chokchai Friesians are exported
annually to China, Laos, and
Vietnam.
In 1987, Chokchai Farm introduced
pasteurized milk to Thailand’s
children. But all was not well on the
horizon. Ten years later, the
ranching operation experienced a
View full sizedownturn in prosperity
along with the local economy.
Nineteen ninety-seven was the year
Thailand’s over-extended economy
perpetuated a global financial crisis
by first spreading insecurity to other
Asian countries, then to Europe and
America. In the aftermath, Chokchai
Farm found itself 200 million baht in
debt without a clear path to
solvency. The result was a
diversification of the cattle ranch to
include selling the dairy operation
and starting an agri-tourism operation
using the ranch to teach and
entertain. As the property became an
educational playground, animal
husbandry led to raising turkeys,
ostriches, race horses, dogs, macaws,
sheep and other animals. Later a
smaller dairy operation was started
under the brand name, Umm! Milk.
Photograph at upper right, enthused
student seated on milking stool
learning something new. His pink and
blue athletic shirt represents school
colors.
Logistics at Chokchai’s natural theme
park are impressive; it has 2,000
milking co ws that each give 18 liters
(4.75 gallons) of milk a day, in the
herd’s aggregate that is 30 tons of
milk. There are 3,000 calves,
yearlings, and heifers. Everyday
Chokchai livestock consume120 tons of
fresh grass, hay, corn and fermented
corn. The milkers are kept in
comfortable and spacious paddocks
where their high-quality diet is
controlled; the younger cows are at
pasture.
The 250,000 visitors who take the 2-3
hour ranch tour every year see
quarterhorses, antique farm equipment,
and cows along with Thai cowboys who
wear leather chaps and20broad-brimmed
Western hats. They ride, crack whips,
bulldog calves, twirl ropes, and do
fast draw tricks. Guests can milk
cows, sample ice cream, eat steak
dinners, and ride all-terrain
vehicles. Photo at lower left: Thai
cowboy astride a quarterhorse later
gave a demonstration of calf roping.
View full sizeTouring the ranch is
great entertainment and gives a
splendid orientation to the Thai-
American cowboy tradition along with
insights into how we all come to enjoy
milk and everyone’s favorite, ice
cream.
The land is in a beautiful setting
with surrounding mountains, not Rocky
Mountain-sized monuments, but smaller,
tree covered hillocks that break the
landscape giving refreshing views of
what Mother Nature can provide on her
best days. Because the land is at a
higher elevation, temperatures are
cooler, nearby farms raise grapes and
silk worms. The area itself is
popular for=2 0Khmer ruins, wildlife,
waterfalls, and mountain forests where
people ride horses and bicycl es.
Now the Chokchai Business Group
includes restaurants, boutique
camping, ranching, real estate
development, and the agri-tour. Not a
bad heritage for a Thai man who found
inspiration in the likes of our
American western heroes: Gene Autry,
Roy Rogers, John Wayne, and so many
others.
TOMORROW IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
IN LIFE. IT COMES INTO US AT MIDNIGHT
VERY CLEAN. IT’S PERFECT WHEN IT
ARRIVES AND IT PUTS ITSELF IN OUR
HANDS HOPING WE’VE LEARNED SOMETHING
FROM YESTERDAY. John Wayne (1907-79),
cowboy actor, 1969 Academy Award for
best actor in movie, True Grit,
American20icon
IN CLOSING, in June my luck held in
meeting with Jack and Carol Hines of
Rogers, Minnesota. Jack and I had
been correspondents through On the
run… for years, but had never met. In
February we started planning a meeting
when he came to Bangkok for the annual
convention of Lions International.
Our plan came to fruition; we had an
American style barbeque dinner and the
most delightful conversation. Bangkok
proved a popular location for the
Lions as 25,000 members traveled into
the city from all points on the
compass.
In the life of a foreign teacher in
Thailand I recently spent a day with
the Bureau of Immigration and
Department of Labor getting my
nonimmigrant visa and work permit
processed, and attended a mandatory 20-
hour Thai culture and language course
to qualify for a teacher’s
certificate. In the course, I met
splendid personalities from Russia,
China, Japan, India, Cameroon, Uganda,
Australi a, UK, Philippines, USA, and
Canada. As the world community comes
closer together through globalization,
Thailand is rushing forward to improve
not only its educational
infrastructure, but also to integrate
students with foreigners in an effort
to help them overcome their shyness
around outsiders. In a cadre of
700,000 teachers spread across the
country, nearly 70,000 are foreigners.
At the school we’ve recently
celebrated Teacher Appreciation Day
and Sunthorn Phu Day in remembrance of
Thailand’s best loved poet, Sunthorn
Phu (1786-1855), and had two days
devoted to improving student
understanding of Buddhism. In
Thailand, Buddhism is practiced at
home, in school, and in temples.
HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU, UNTIL WE MEET
AGAIN. Roy Rogers (1911-1998), actor
known as King of the Cowboys, singer,
and restaurateur. With horse Trigger
and wife Dale Evan s starred in
hundreds of Hollywood and T V films.
05/03/08
Larry Welch On the run...in Thailand
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HOW HELPFUL IT WOULD BE IF WE WOULD
BEGIN TO REACH DOWN WITH CHARITY
INSTEAD OF LOOKING UP WITH ENVY. IT
FEELS WONDERFUL TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE
WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE, LESS HEALTHY
OR LESS CLEVER....ORIENTING OURSELVES
TO THE PROTECTION AND HELP OF THOSE
WHO ARE LESS ABLE EMPHASIZES GIVING
INSTEAD OF GETTING, PRODUCING TWO
WINNERS--THE BENEFACTOR AND THE
BENEFICIARY. Marilyn vos Savant,
columnist, IQ of 228 is highest ever
recorded, author of Growing Up: A
Classic American Childhood (photograph
at right)
THERE ARE TWO WAYS OF EXERTING ONE'S
STRENGTH: ONE IS PUSHING DOWN, THE
OTHER IS PULLING UP. Booker T.
Washington (1856-1915), educator;
author; civil rights leader;
President, Tuskegee University (1881-
1915)
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Welcome to my e-news, it's about
positive thinking and written for
people striving to be their best. If
you received this publication in error
please send response with the
word "unsubscribe" in the subject
line. If you would like to extend On
the run... to your friends ask them to
write the word "subscribe" in the
subject line. Written by Larry Welch,
an American living at Nakhon Phanom,
Thailand. The national flag of
Cambodia is at left.
WE ALL GET REPORT CARDS IN MANY
DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT THE REAL
EXCITEMENT OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS IN
THE DOING OF IT. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE
GONNA GET IN THE END - IT'S NOT THE
FINAL CURTAIN - IT'S REALLY IN THE
DOING IT, AND LOVING WHAT I'M DOING.
Ralph Lauren, fashion designer famous
for Polo Ralph Lauren label, business
executive THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS ENERGY
IS DESIRE. IT'S ALSO THE KEY TO A
LONG AND INTERESTING LIFE. IF WE
EXPECT TO CREATE ANY DRIVE, ANY REAL
FORCE WITHIN OURSELVES, WE HAVE TO GET
EXCITED. Earl Nightingale (1921-89),
one of only twelve US Marines to
survive Pearl Harbor attack on USS
Arizona; radio voice of Sky King;
creator of the syndicated radio
program Our Changing World; Radio Hall
of Fame; author, entrepreneur and
insurance executive THE HUMAN
CONDITION. Last month I took a
pilgrimage to Phnom Penh, Kingdom of
Cambodia. It was my second visit and
I went to the same places as last
time: the genocide museum at Tuol
Sleng and the killing fields at
Choeung Ek. Cambodia is a small
country of less than 14 million
people. It shares borders with
Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Along
with Vietnam and Laos it was part of
Indochina, a French Protectorate from
1863 to 1953. On the dark side it is
one of the most corrupt nations in our
world family and wherever politicians
and businessmen divert cash from
social well being there is extensive
poverty. That's certainly the case in
Cambodia. Per capita income is about
$400 (compared to $8,000 Thailand;
$46,000 USA); rural people are most
affected with 34 percent living on
less than a dollar a day and that's
not enough. There are now two million
tourists who visit annually; they
mostly like to see the ancient and
extensive temple complex at Angkor
Wat. The country makes money by
manufacturing clothing, tourism, and
the sale of timber, rubber, rice and
fish. The King of Cambodia is His
Majesty Norodom Sihamoni.
Cambodia has been in the news
recently. New York Times
photojournalist and genocide survivor
Dith Pran died in the USA on March 30;
and the Cambodian genocide trials are
running significantly over budget.
The background: After a five year
civil war (1970-75) that pitted the
Khmer Rouge (communists) against the
US-backed and corrupt government of
General Lon Nol, the country came into
the hands of a crazed revolutionary
named Pol Pot. Educated in France
where he became oriented toward
communism, Pol Pot returned to
Cambodia in 1953 to teach school; he
also joined the clandestine communist
movement. When his forces took
control of Cambodia in 1975, his goal
was to transform the country to a
rural, classless society where there
would be no rich people, no poor
people, and no exploitation. Not the
sharpest tool in the shed, he
abolished money, free markets, normal
schooling, private property, foreign
clothing styles, religious practices,
and traditional culture. Public
schools, pagodas, mosques, churches,
universities, shops and government
buildings were shut or converted into
prisons, stables, reeducation camps
and granaries. There was no
transportation and ownership of
private property was prohibited.
Big Brother #1 (Pol Pot, real name
Solath Sar) made city dwellers move to
the country. Phnom Penh's population
of two million was reduced to 40,000.
What followed was abuse of children,
forced labor, purges and
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massacres, and starvation. Former
government officials, doctors,
lawyers, politicians, soldiers, monks,
Muslims, and police and their family
members were tortured, forced to
confess to false crimes, and killed.
Family members were separated;
children taught to spy on parents and
in extreme cases kill them. I can't
find the words to describe the
indecency that was heaped on this
gentle Buddhist population. The human
toll from starvation and murder stands
at between 1.7 and 3 million people,
roughly 25 percent of the population
at that time. Photograph at left shows
official Khmer Rouge record of a young
girl, No. 408, tortured and ultimately
killed.
The Tuol Sleng genocide museum at
Phnom Penh started out as a high
school in 1962. In 1975, the
classrooms were converted to prison
cells and the facility took on the
codename S-21. The windows were
enclosed by iron bars, and covered
with tangled barbed wire. Photograph
at right shows one of four main
buildings used to house prisoners at
the former high school/prison. During
the prison's four-year history, over
12,000 people (2,000 children) were
taken from all parts of the country
and from all walks of life. They were
of different nationalities and
included Vietnamese, Laotians, Thai,
Indians, Pakistanis, British,
Americans, Canadians, New Zealanders,
and Australian s, but the vast
majority were Cambodians. There were
167 prisons at the time, but S-21 was
the flagship facility. Prisoners were
processed (tortured to obtain
detailed, written confessions of false
crimes) at Tuol Sleng for up to four
months and then transferred to the
killing fields at Choeung Ek, one of
343 killing sites that supplied 19,440
mass graves. Of the thousands who
processed through the prison, only
eight are known to have survived. To
ensure proper record keeping, all
confessions were written and
preserved, photographs of prisoners
taken, and detailed biographies
recorded.
Choeung Ek (mass grave site) is
located about six miles south of Phnom
Penh. It
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was once a Chinese
cemetery and orchard. To date, 129
separate mass graves have been
discovered, 89 of them exhumed. One
grave contained the bodies of 166
headless people, another contained the
bodies of 100 women and children. One
of the trees at was used to batter
babies to death On display are 8,000
skulls that were excavated from the
area. Another suspected 8,000 corpses
have yet to be excavated. The area
shows where bodies were uncovered.
Walking through the site I saw teeth,
bone fragments, and remnants of
clothing that continue to surface.
The skulls show evidence of being
crushed by small caliber bullets,
hoes, axes, shovels, hammers and other
blunt instruments. Cambodia is filled
with wandering spirits, people who
died without a proper burial. That's
important in all religions and most
especially in Buddhism. Praying for
the departed at Choeung Ek is a ritual
for those who visit and quiet
contemplation is encouraged before
leaving. Photograph at right shows
tree used to bash babies to death.
The genocide trial was endowed with 56
million dollars, which was budgeted to
last 3 years until 2010. Now the
money supply is dwindling and a new
budget of 170 million has been
proposed. Some of the donor countries
and Cambodians are astonished at the
cost. An audit has revealed extensive
irregularities (remember when dealing
with a corrupt institution there will
be columns of figures that defy
logic). Major contributors are Japan
and France along with eight other
principal donor countries (USA is not
a donor). Pol Pot died in 1998, the
trial is for Brother No. 2 (Nuon
Chea), now 82; and four others
including the mastermind of torture
(Duch, original name Kaing Guek Eav)
at S-21. These frail old men and one
old lady are no longer a threat, but
the families of victims would
reasonably like closure, but how to
keep the sticky fingers away from
justice's cash drawer is quite another
matter.
If you saw 1984 's m
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ovie, The Killing Fields, you know
that Dith Pran is an heroic figure. As
a Cambodian photojournalist he not
only protected Western newsmen from
Khmer Rouge wrath, but then went on to
survive four years under the most
inhumane conditions. Through
extremely good fortune and his street
smarts he escaped imminent death by
the Khmer Rouge and later their
Vietnamese conquers, while 50 members
of his immediate and extended family
lost their lives. In finally escaping
he undertook a harrying 40-mile
journey from Cambodia to reach
Thailand and safety in 1978. Later he
coined the phrase killing fields to
refer to the clusters of corpses he
encountered during his 40-mile trek to
safety. A former employee of the New
York Times, he was sponsored into the
United States, reunited with his wife
and children, and found a job with his
old employer. For the next thirty
years he distinguished himself as a
top photojournalist and humanitarian
who never quit fighting for the rights
of his people and recognition for the
atrocities brought to them by Pol
Pot's regime. Dith Pran died of
pancreatic cancer on March 30, 2008,
at Woodbridge, New Jersey. Photograph
at upper right is of a young Dith Pran
in 1975.
Heroes and villains, the innocent and
evil doers, crusaders for justice and
cheaters who corrupt--sometimes hard
to believe we all come from the same
human family!
LOVE IS WHAT'S IN THE ROOM WITH YOU AT
CHRISTMAS IF YOU STOP OPENING PRESENTS
AND LISTEN. Bobby, age 7
THERE IS NO HIGHER RELIGION THAN HUMAN
SERVICE. TO WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD
IS THE GREATEST CREED. Woodrow
Wilson (1856-1924), 28th President of
the United States; Governor of New
Jersey; President, Princeton
University; Nobel Laureate, 1919
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IN CLOSING, I give you a few words
from June Yap, a fabulous friend who
lives at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. June
said, Larry has compiled a collection
of powerful words from the world's
most positive people. I marvel at how
these thoughts transform and bring out
the best in us. Bless her heart, June
is referring to my book, Quotations
for Positive People, And Those Who
Would Like To Be. If you'd like to
order one or more (more is better)
please go to the web site
www.trafford.com/07-1419 or visit
www.amazon.com
. At
Amazon.com don't go to the hot new
releases, but instead send your
browser to quotations for positive
people and there you will find this
amazing book. If you don't think
you're positive enough for this kind
of reading, keep in mind sales benefit
The Blue Dragon Children's Foundation
in Hanoi, Vietnam, and that's reason
enough to buy at least one copy. Keep
being your best!
12/19/02
EXOTIC MARATHONS
Would you like to travel to exotic
places to do a marathon? Well I have
the person for you to do just that.
Kathy Loper a runner herself for over
33 years, and has twenty-five years of
Event Directing experience. You can
join a group of running enthusiasts
from around the world on a marathon of
a lifetime in Russia, Great Wall of
China, Switzerland, Thailand to name a
few. You can get more information by
contacting: Kathy Loper Events
7801 Mission Center Court
Suite 103
San Diego, CA 92108
#619-298-7448
E-mail: kathy@kathyloperevents.com
www.kathyloperevents.com
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