Flirting With Cambodian Migrant Workers!

Languages are fun, languages open doors, languages bring people closer. I know almost no Khmer (Cambodian language) but today I was able to joke (flirt) with some Cambodian women working a construction site (migrant workers), with what I did know, allowing me to make their pictures and have a bit of fun.. I also spoke Thai to the manager of the apartment construction site who without my asking said it was OK TO GO IN AN LOOK AROUND. Without the Thai speaking stuff, doubt I would have been given access.

I went in and photographed for a hour or a bit longer. It was so nice to be able to get away from the tourist trap of nearby Silom road in Bangkok. Silom is tourist central yet about 2 blocks back of that stuff I was able to hang with real people, doing real work. This is the Thailand I love, the real world, not the tourist world.

At one point while photographing a group of 4 Cambodian women laying bricks mid building I decided to joke with them, digging deep into my memory to bring out some Khmer vocabulary. I said "TOD ROOP, SREY SUH-AUT" which translates into TAKE PHOTO, PRETTY LADY. Everyone started giggling, and repeating what I had said among-st themselves, it was quite cute. It was a great joke, they obviously understood me.

The man running the site was named Ang, who asked me to come back when I thanked him at the end before leaving. It was fun also when I thanked the women workers in Khmer, Oh-Khoon-Ja-Run (Thank you) they all laughed and giggled again at my Khmer.

Doubt I photographed anything of substance with my Leica, but a fun morning non the less. It was great to shoot film again!!

Note* There were 12 Cambodian workers on the site, mostly all people under 30. I believe the building had been going on for about 2 years.

Living area for migrant Cambodian workers, Bangkok Thailand

Pretty Cambodian women workers, laying brick, Bangkok

Kathmandu Gallery Bangkok

After photographing the Thai-Cambodian work site I went to the nearby Kathmandu photo gallery, a very nice experience. I browsed a through photo books, through of the owners photos (Khun Manit) and also saw an exhibition, Dali type photos, not to my liking. I also had a great conversation with a couple of Aussie gentleman, about Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. A nice change of pace for me, plan on doing lots of this type of stuff in Japan.

Kathmandu Gallery Bangkok

Amazing Monk, Animal Charity, Will Help

At the “Kasetsart Animal Hospital” I met an incredible man, a monk, his name is Pra Ton. Pra Ton (Pra in Thai means monk) was there with an extremely sick dog named ” Kaow Tod” who had advanced cancer and was blind in one eye. This dog looked very bad, very ill but Pra Ton had spent 30000 baht on his medical care (part donated, part his own-family’s money). I saw some earlier photos of Kaow Tod who looked much worse back then, so the medical  treatments had helped him. Because of the help given the dog had been diagnosed with 8 months to live but Pra Ton was hoping for 1 year more of life.

The truly wonderful part of this story is that Pra Ton runs a animal charity that I think is called “Mee Boon”. The charity is located about 1 1/2 hours drive brome Bangkok. Pra Ton rescues animals of all sorts. At the temple where he lives and worships over 50 dogs live. He also is in charge of 2 nearby buildings where another 200 dogs are cared for, there is neutering-spaying done there as well. To top that off, local cows and pigs have also been rescued from slaughterhouses and are taken care of. The protecting and love for all forms of life, not sure how you can top that kind of commitment. You have to, your forced to respect a man like this. A man who dedicates his life to Buddhism and the protection of all life.

I made a donation of 1000 baht to the monk (Pra Ton)to help with his travel costs. I plan on visiting his charity and donating more money later on for dog food, rice (dogs eat rice also). I will NOT donate any of the money people back home gave for the “Families of the Dump”, but can-will donate the “My Fathers Last Days” artist speaking fee. Dad always was a farmer at heart and loved animals, I am sure he would be OK with his story helping in this way. The 200 plus dogs are only fed once a day because of lack of funds (part donated by Thais, part from Pra Ton’s family). The artist speaking fee will help feed these defenceless sweet animals.

Helping in this cause as well as the dump families seems very right to me. Here I was with this lone monk and his terminally sick dog that he brought to Bangkok to help, there is something very simple and beautiful there. Love for the lives of all living things, very Buddhist,  completely wonderful.

Monk Pra Ton with Kaow Tod his cancer stricken dog.

Poor sick Kaow Tod, getting better with good medical care

         
Note* I have some photos of both Pra Ton and his sick friend Kao Tod but am not sure how to get the files from a SD card through my iPad onto this blog (my laptop is in Mae Sot). Will post them when I am able to.

Update* Maybe I can do a short documentary film on Pra Ton and his charity. This is another story that must be told!

Update ** Was thinking that if after visiting the animal charity run by Pra Ton. I might return with photos and video to Canada with the hope of raising funds to help him. Good work by good people deserves to be aided.

Kasetsart Animal Hospital

Today I spent some time at an animal hospital in Bangkok. This is not a tiny clinic, not a small strip mall vet place. This was a real live, huge HOSPITAL, the public “Animal Hospital At Kasetsart”.

http://vet.ku.ac.th/vetenglish/index.php/veterinary-hospital/bangkhen

I had a bit of mixed feelings on the place at first. With people suffering and doing without so nearby spending thousands of dollars on your dog for MIR scans and spinal surgeries seemed wasteful. But after spending many hours in the hospital my feelings began to change. Here we’re loving people with their beloved family pets, all they wanted to do was take care of them, allow them to live a bit longer. What’s wrong with that? Love and protecting lie is always a good thing.

At the hospital the main patients were dogs, probably 70-80% were canines. Second in line were cats but I also saw a bird today as well as a hedgehog of some kind with a damaged tail. It was rather an amazing place, it functioned like a real person hospital in every way. Doctors, nurses, medical scans, surgeries, hi end quality equipment, hospital bed over night rooms, surgery suites. Dogs were being wheeled about accompanied by 3 or 4 person medical staff, while receiving oxygen and with a IV bag hanging off a raised metal stand! Never seen anything quite like it before, the scope of the place was huge. I guess originally the hospital was open only in the mornings, then mornings and afternoons, and now mornings, afternoons and evenings!

Another Difficult Dad Dream

Just fell asleep, had another bad dad dream, a short one.

I was at my moms home, looking for her, could not find her, all rooms empty, was calling out to her. Saw a message blinking light on a phone. I checked the message it was my fathers voice, immediately started crying in the dream while saying “Dad don’t die, do ‘die!”, then woke up with a start!

Have not had one of those dreams for a while, diificult day in Bangkok today, must have set me back some. Had some pains in my lower shoulder, upper chest, stress etc, Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

THE POLYGON GALLERY Opens!

The Polygon art gallery just opened in a brand spanken new 18 million dollar building in North Vancouver!!!! I just learned of this fabulous news tonight while surfing the net in Bangkok. “The Polygon” will focus on photography and media arts! Got to love that! Got to visit this place soon! Hope you do also, let’s all  throw our support behind them. This is GREAT STUFF!

Details:
https://thepolygon.ca
Globe And Mail Arts Review
The Georgia STRAIGHT Article

Quote: David Cassidy

Mr. Cassidy’s final words before dying of organ failure at 67.

 ‘So much wasted time.”

Lazy Being Serviced Day!

So today my first full day in Bangkok, was a Gerry getting serviced day.

- Haircut, cost 240 baht. The shop washed my hair, cut hair and rewarded it. (No itchy hair falls down your back or sticks to your neck).
- Second shop dyed my hair, cost 350 baht. Wash hair, dye hair, rewash hair.
- 2 hour full body plus part oil massage, cost 200 baht plus 150 baht tip.

A pretty darn relaxing day!

More Photos From This Morning

Here are a few pics I had time to edit before my flight.

I was speaking to him of his family, wife, children, they had left, he was alone.

Separating scavenged goods, Mae Sot dump, November 24, 2017

Last card game, Mae Sot dump, November 24, 2017

Flying Lots!

At 1:50 pm I fly to Bangkok the ticket was more expensive this time round, cost me 1999 baht. I do not have my return ticket yet expect to fly back to Mae Sot on round December 18th.

My schedules over the next month or so looks like this.

- November 24 fly to Bangkok. Will shoot photos of other subjects.
- December 3, fly to Tokyo Japan, spend 2 weeks there.
- December 18 fly back to Bangkok Thailand.
- December 18 or 19th fly to Mae Sot.
- December 24 fly to Hanoi Vietnam (my first trip to Vietnam).
- After new years fly back to Bangkok, then back to Mae Sot.

Starting To Feel Thai!!

Gosh I am starting to fit in here, and starting to feel like a Thai person. Today before I came to my room, I drove the bike quickly and effectively, spoke to Pee Noy (Thai) about bringing the bike back today and the drive to the airport. Zipped over the the bike wash, spoke to the old lady who runs the place (Thai) she gave me instructions on how things work. Then raced over on the bike through the traffic and craziness of a nearby market, and spoke to the pharmacist there (Thai), got eye drops for a person in the dump. Then raced over and got gas for the bike (Thai). Then  finally ordered sick sticks of Moo Bing (grilled pork) and 2 bags of Kaow Nee-owe (stick rice) from the man on the street in front of my apartment. Just had breakfast before writing this blog.

Gosh starting to feel like a local!

Burmese Lessons From Dump Friend

I have met an told man in the dump who teaches me a bunch of Burmese words every time he sees me. Today when we met in the garbage he taught me:

Eye-MEH-SEE
Nose-NOK-KOH
Ear -NAUH
Bag - LOO-UH-AYE
Bottle- GEE-BOO
Hair- SUH-PEH

Good Short Trip To Dump

Tonight from 5am till 7am I spent a nice short and effective time in the dump. Shot some video, pictures, no Fred, no Thai garbage folk stopping me (one said hello). Also donated an axe, a headlamp, and some noodles. I took an order for 10 1/2 size boots for a limping man I have known in the dump for many years, at least 4. I will have to give him his boots on my return to Mae Sot.

Met this man on my arrival at the dump, have photographed him for years. Made this while lighting his way and photographing/video taping at the same time. Will get him some 10 1/2 size boots later on.

Note* What about exhibiting this as a 5 or 6 part piece? He kept saying to me "Mod-day" (tired!) as he rolled in this cart over the dirt, holes and garbage.

 

Walking into the dump 510am, November 24, 2017

A Dump Night Theme?

I have been thinking that I need to keep the dump photos done in digital focused on a night theme. Darkness and the lives of the “Families of the Dump” interconnected with the night would be a new and visually different way to tell this story. Working exclusively at night could create some strong, effective imagery. It could be very Lewis Hine in scope and style.

The down side would be that the film and film photography work would suffer. I can only do so much with the time I have. All the donation work needs to be completed as well.

Color Dump Pictures That I Might Submit

Tomorrow I am off to Bangkok. Tonight I have been looking through some color work done in the dump that I like. I might be submitting some of these photographs for a future exhibition. Some might also be accepted to show in the Penticton Art Gallery exhibition in 2018.

I wonder thou if these photographs lack heart and are too pretty, style over substance. Sometimes when you are more worried about light and composition than your subjects hearts you get into problems. I want my pictures to be about my subjects, their emotions, their feelings. I do not want to just make empty but beautiful lighting photos with sweet colors. The subject is all that matters.

The pictures were basically all made in very low lighting situations that film  cannot deal with.  So it was either shooting them digital or not at all. All images were shot at 10000 ASA with a Canon 5D Mark 3.

Note* I would only choose 1 fire shot, 1 card playing shot, the girl working might be a diptych. Lots of flow and possibilities with these, but I do sense a possibilities. Quite a few months more of shooting in the dump will no doubt lead to more possible exhibition photographs.

Color likes from the dump

Possible artist talk image, not shot in the dump

Went Out To Dump Early, Plus Some Pics

Changed up my routine and went out to dump at 515am, arrives at 535am when it was still dark. I took some photos with the digital (below) of a man burning some brush near his ho in the very early morning. I also shot 10 sheets of 8x10 film of some shacks in the swamp area of the dump. Then I high tailed it out of there before Fred came by to take the kids to school.  Also handed out a pair of size 10 boots, a head lamp, a hatchet (to the man in the digi photos below) and a pair of child boots, along with a pair of child flip flops (both for Ni-Ni-Too the one armed child).

Dumpscape 2, November 23, 2017

Dumpscape 2, November 23, 2017

Blury version

Burning brush outside his home, Mae Sot dump, November 23, 2017

Two More Photos

Here is another photo from yesterday. This young girl was afraid of me at first but after a few minutes was laughing and joking with her sister behind me.

Frightened young girl, Mae Sot dump, November 21, 2017

Tonights Activities And Boot Buy

With the 4th "no photo" warning my trip to Bangkok quickly approaching on the 24th I decided to alter my schedule and did not go to the dump tonight. I instead did some exploring on the motorbike at night, and bought some boots (6 pair) as well as having a nice meal (pork chop and bagel with cream cheese) at the Canadian restaurant.  I plan on going out early tomorrow at 5 am or 530 am and shoot some of the swamp dump shacks with the 8x10 camera. Will also shoot the digital Canon and hand out some children boots plus axes.

Here is a photo of the 6 pairs of boots I bought tonight, 3- size 9s 1.2, 2- size 10s, 1 size 11.5, total cost 1160 baht (added to the total spent).

Newest donation booths, 6 pairs

Link: A Very Canadian Thing,

This made me laugh, a Canada thing., a party and dancing in the airport after a delayed flight. Love that they cheered the second delay and went back partying!
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/21/americas/canadian-airport-party-goes-viral-trnd/index.html

B/W Versus Color

I was planning to print the digital stuff in color. Here is a comparison of one image, in color and b/w. Black and white always simplifies, but there is a certain glorious beauty to color. I plan on eventually printing the digital stuff in Platinum/Palladium process. Platinum/Palladium prints will of course will be in a wonderful tonal range b/w.

Playing cards in the dump image in b/w and color, Mae Sot November 2017