Strange moment of the day "under the freeway".
So I am in a large enclosed room area under the freeway making photos of Khun Ann's living conditions. Ann is sleeping but I have photographed her 3 or 4 times there and she is fine with it, no big deal.
As my back is to the door and I am making photos of the far wall I hear a loud yelling type voice from the doorway behind me "YOU STOP, YOU, HEY YOU STOP, HEY YOU, STOP, STOP". I turn around to see a very angry fat Thai man staring at me. I go to him and tell him in Thai 'She is my friend, her name is Ann, we have known each other for 1 month, photos are not a problem" He calms down by about 50% but still seems angry and unsure about me. At that point Ann wakes up and immediately sits up and starts to defend me, she speaks in Thai (I did not understand) and quickly the guy backs down and says more softly, ok, ok, then leaves.
I make more photos then I tell Ann I have some food for her but it is being prepared and I will bring it to her in 30 minutes. I go outside and see the fat man leaning against his car smoking a cigarette, still looking slightly pissed off as he stares at me. I go up to him and explain my whole history "under the freeway". I show him my snapshot picture book from Canada, and also tell him about the work being done at the dump in Mae Sot. Why I made the photos etc.
At this point he is much calmer, even softer and friendly. He teaches me the word DONATE in Thai, "borii-juk". We part on friendly terms and I go to pay for the days food and distribute it (1000 baht, around $44 CAD).
I was happy that Ann woke up to save me!
Note* In the area where Ann sleeps people store and repair cars and motorbikes. It seems to be a bit of a danger area for me as many Thais there eye me suspiciously. That is a problem I also face in the dump. I am never worried about the locals as they all know and trust me, it is the outsiders who pop in for an hour or 2, that know nothing, that are the dangerous ones.
Note** Todays total donation sum was around 1500 baht ($62 CAD).
