Birthday Party for a King
It's not just books, books, books
The Chao Phraya River is regarded as the bloodline of the Thai people.
Chao Phraya River
Regarded as the bloodline of the Thai people the river flows south through the nation's fertile central plain for more than 225 miles to the Gulf of Thailand.
Many of Thailand's capitals, past and present, have all been situated on its banks or those of its tributaries and distributaries, as are many other cities.
Today, many tourists take small boats to tour the river to experience the old way of living where people depended mostly upon river and canals for transportation. Typical old houses, temples, and shops are visible along the river.
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Going to school does not mean classes all day long. Chaovachote gets to take a breather too.
This comes in two breaks, a 10-minute one and an hour-long lunch break.
Lunch Break
Lunch break is an hour.
Lunch time features the many varieties of fish and vegetables of traditional Thai food.
A characteristic of the Thai menu is the balance of sweetness, saltiness, and heat from peppers.
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Chaovachote loves short vacations but his favorite ones are the month-long school holidays in March and October.
During this time he and his friends head to outdoor markets where different kinds of clothing, toys, household items, handicraft, food and even pets are sold!
Thailand has the largest outdoor market in the world - the Chatuchak Weekend Market.
To Market, To Market
This outdoor market has more than 15,000 shops and stalls and has over 200,000 visitors each day who spend approximately 30 million baht (about $750,000) total per day.
It is a good place to buy antique wood carvings, clothes, masks from far-off lands, and even adorable dogs and colorful fish!
Sellers at these stalls expect buyers to bargain. Many shoppers usually offer half the price asked for at first.
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But for a more scenic weekend, youth head to the Chao Phraya River to hang out with their friends and sip on freshly squeezed tangerine juice for about 20 Baht, US$0.67 a bottle.
The end of a school day
School ends at about 3:30pm every day. But for students like Chaovachote—who live an hour's drive away—this can mean reaching home only at about 6 pm every day.
Roads are congested during rush hour in Thailand when traffic slows down to a crawl. What would normally take an hour might take two, Chaovachote explains.
Traffic Problems
There are millions of motorists in the Thai capital who are plagued with the daily ritual of road congestion.
Sometimes, a two-mile journey downtown can take close to two hours at the peak of rush hour.
One of the problems Bangkok faces is the air pollution created by exhausts of cars, motorcycles, and factories.
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Bangkok whizzes past him on his way back home.
Tourists wave from Tuk-Tuks which cost about 100 Baht for a 20 minute ride. Food store owners sell slices of Thai fishcake from roadside stores.
Tuk-Tuks
Tuk-tuks, also known as the auto rickshaw, are small cabins that rest on three wheels (one on front, two in the rear). The cabin is split into two compartments: The front for the driver and the back, which can comfortably seat three people.
They may have a sheet metal body or an open frame with a canvas roof and drop-down sides. Tuk-Tuks are popular where traffic congestion is a major problem because they are easily maneuverable and can turn around in one lane of traffic with room to spare.
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As he approaches the inner city he is greeted by low rises for poor immigrants.
Chaovachote is fortunate because he comes from a relatively wealthy family. His father is a doctor and so is his elder brother.
He's Fortunate
Chaovachote's family lives in a residential compound in the Lat Yao district of Nakhon Sawan Province in northern Thailand, which offers accommodation for the middle class residents of Bangkok.
His school fees alone cost about 20,000 baht per term (there are two terms in a year), an amount most locals cannot afford.
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Said Chaovachote: "I am lucky because I get to go to one of the best schools in Thailand. Not many Thais are as lucky as me."
True or False: The first ever assassination attempt made against a United States President was intended for Andrew Jackson.
Click Andrew's head for the answer.
TRUE: Richard Lawrence was mentally ill. He tried to shoot Jackson with two pistols from point-blank range. Both misfired. Jackson then beat Lawrence with his cane.
contributed by
Jodi
Singapore
05/11/08
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