Got my passport back!! Check out the funky new Canadian design. Extra safety features as well. I can book my air ticket to Asia (Thailand and the Philippines).
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Pastels and Painting?
How hard is it to learn to draw? I have an image in my mind, a memory that has haunted me for over 20 years. I want to make it into a pastel, a painting and artwork of some kind. I need to learn to draw to make that work. I will try.
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Video: Still Alive 2?
Is he still alive?? I will look for him
On my return to “the land of smiles”! I would like to help him.
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Old posts:
Busy day "under the freeway". Not that a great a day photography wise but took the expensive medicine for Khun Ooh's dog Yaup Yeun (think I got that right) today. Also took them some food. Gave Yaup Yeun some chicken which he loved. He still looked at me with semi hate and barked lots but the chicken calmed him down a tad.
Met another older man for the second time, Khun Vee-Gon. He told me many times that he wanted to die. He said he had 2 daughters but they went away and do not help him, did not love him, they forgot about him. I asked if he had friends and said "no" to that as well. I asked if he drank, he said when he had no money he did not drink but when he had money he did. A forgotten old man living in a slum in Bangkok. Beyond sad.
Khun Anapon and Khun Dao were not under the freeway today, not sure where they had gone. Khun Champoo went off somewhere as well. When I asked others where they were I got the traditional Thai response of "Bai Tee-owe" which translates to "They went travelling", no one knew where.
Feel very tired, was covered in sweat after 3 hours, my very sweaty wet Covid mask did not help things. Will go back under the freeway again tomorrow, hope it is a better photo day. Then take a day off to recover. I am so lucky to have a clean a/c hotel room with a hot shower to come home to. So many under the freeway do not have the ability to escape and refresh. Life can be so hard. I am very fortunate.
Note* Below is a video of me speaking to Khun Vee-gon on the street, under the freeway, in Khlong Toei slum Bangkok, Thailand.
Photographed Khun Vee-gon today. He spoke over and over again about wanting to die. He has 2 daughters but they abandoned him. He told me they did not love him. He lives alone in a small room near the Freeway, Klong Toey Slum Bangkok. Gave him some money for the 2nd time but he told me when he has money he drinks, hope he will use the baht I gave for some food.
Hasselblad X1D with 22mm XCD
Veegood 60+, telling me he wanted to die, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Bangkok, Thailand 2022
Still Alive?
Thinking of my friends under the freeway today. How many are still alive? Khlong Toei slum in Bangkok can be a harsh, dangerous and uncompromising place.
I will return soon, post-retirement. I hope to spend at least 1 month with them, 12-hour days. I hope to help them as much as I can, Thai people are good and extremely hardworking, sometimes thou a bit of help is needed.Been away much too long.
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE UNDER THE FREEWAY, Khlong Toei slum, Bangkok, Thailand.