Lights of Thomas

Many years passed. Thomas is still in the same area where I found him the first time. Every time I visit Bangkok, I would pass by his lights shop. I didn’t show myself for many years but I have always been checking him out secretly. I was surprised and happy that it didn't take long for him to finally change. He is now successful. His shop grew in number, he opened two more shops in the same area, his cousins and siblings are now working for him, and his lights are even brighter and more colorful. I am back in his life as his friend. I am very proud of him. 

 I arrived in Bangkok in mid - September of 2011 for my first visit/visa run. I have a Friday and a weekend for that short trip. Every after 70 days in Myanmar, I have to leave the country. I checked in at a hotel in Silom walking distance away from the Myanmar Embassy to be sure that I’ll get my visa on the same day I applied for it. I honestly have no clue what’s in Bangkok that time. All I wanted to do that Friday night was to get out of the hotel and walk around the area at night.

I asked the hotel what’s the nearest night life there was in that area of the city. It was quite difficult for me to understand what the receptionist said. So I went out alone with no info where to go.

I hiked to the main road and kept walking to the right. I crossed a wide intersection. I didn’t know what’s ahead. After a few minutes of walking, I found stalls of souvenir shops lined up along the sidewalk. There were clothes of different styles, colors, for different ages and genders. There were also home decors like lotus soaps delicately designed, lamps with religious designs, and Thailand framed photographs. I have also seen many hand-made tin can products they turned into either a tuk tuk or a transformer. But the most shocking of all – the adult toys explicitly displayed. If you are a non-conservative, non-religious, and easy-going like me, you would spend time looking at those toys like ordinary goods. And you might enjoy talking to the vendors selling them. But during that time, I had no interest with those toys. I was particularly interested with one thing – the Christmas lights with some kind of balls that looks like mercerized thread. More interestingly, the vendor was a Myanmar guy.

His name was Thomas, a good-looking, soon-to-be-father, hard-working man. He speaks quite well English and from his accent, I knew he wasn’t Thai. He was selling colorful decorative lights in Patpong – one of the red districts of Bangkok. He was the first friend I have in Thailand. He was very friendly and warm when he learned I can speak a little bit of his language. He was very happy he met me. He introduced me to some of his fellas who also work there in the red district. We had a day we got to know each other. Until I found out that he has drinking issues.

I didn’t judge him for his habits. I understood quite well and I tried to be empathetic about his situation. But there were things that are beyond my control. Something awful happened. It was bad. As a result, I cut him off because I didn’t like what I saw. I walked away, said goodbye, and showed him the attitude of a very disappointed friend hoping that he would realize he needed to help himself and change.

Thomas was not a bad person don’t get me wrong. There are things in our personal lives that people find unpleasant that they don’t agree with how you see things. Often, you are judged. Then they cut you off because they don’t want to understand you. They don’t feel what you feel, they don’t see what you see, and they don’t believe what you believe. 

All photos are from Thomas' FB