What "Train Track Failure" Really Means
Wow, I don't even know where to begin to explain this one. Let's just say that I've had my first run-in with Islamic extremists on this trip. I say 'this trip' because there was once before, in Amsterdam, when I met a duo of Moroccans who told me repeatedly about their desire to spray an ocean full of bullets over Israel and since then I've tried to avoid all Jihad-related discussions. But this was different - way different.
I'll start from the end. I found this article online after being informed about the happenings of the last few days in the ever volatile Thai south by fellow travelers whilst soaking up the rays on the Perhentian Islands:
CLICK HERE
Zoom back to June the 4th. I was en route to Malaysia from Thailand, enjoying the luxury of my 2nd class sleeper when I was so rudely awakened by a jolt as our train stopped. A hurried attendant came into the back car, where I was grumpily stirring, and asked us to promptly awake and gather our things; the train was experiencing a "track failure" and was going to have to back up two stations to Hat Yai. We were to disembark immediately upon arrival there. Upon stepping onto the platform, I was greeted by a TV cameraman who was up in my face like peanut butter on jelly. 'I guess he's never seen a tourist,' I thought. I made my way across town to the bus station after receiving a pittance of a refund from the ever generous Thai Railway system, where I nearly witnessed the largest riot in history over the privilege to board a mini-van. You see, everyone who had been headed to the Malaysian border via train was now trying to procure tickets on the only mini-bus headed anywhere near Sungai Kolok. After nearly getting stampeded to death, the ticket attendant, threw up his arms and left for a half hour. He returned with a big, clunky bus that must have seen its last use right around when - judging by its cobweb-covered colored lights - disco died. At least we had a bus. In Cambodia, they would certainly have made all 100+ people board a single Dodge Caravan and probably stick a few more on the roof for good measure.
About an hour into our trip - including the twice around the bus station we did just for good measure - traffic began to slow to almost a complete halt. We crept along the road until finally we could see the cause of the hold-up; a crowd of hundreds of Muslims clad in robes and shawls had blocked off all but one lane of traffic in front of a mosque. They were standing arms folded - like a troop of Arabic bouncers - and cast glances of death at each person who passed. The Thai people on the bus started to shrink in their seats. A woman a few rows ahead of me stood up to look and see what was happening and her boyfriend pulled her back to the seat. All was tense as we passed the scene, then the Sungai Kolok native sitting beside me explained what the trouble was the best he could... by making a serious of explosion noises. Indeed he was correct. 5 days ago - auspiciously the Buddha's birthday - machine gunfire ripped through the mosque and a roadside bomb killed 10-15 police officers and civilians. Now, the Muslim community was staging a giant protest. It was the closest feeling I'll probably ever experience to driving through the West Bank of Israel.
I think it's pretty cool that I've probably had my face on Thai TV along with a segment with phrases like 'Muslim Insurgents' and 'derailed train.' So we've had the 'stranded by a jackknifed 18 wheeler' event in China (not to mention the dirt road being dug right in from of our van), the 'hey, let's stuff 26 people in a pickup truck with all their luggage' bright idea in Cambodia, a few other mishaps made trivial only be the aforementioned disasters, and now the 'Shanghai-ed by Muslim extremists' adventure. I should think that I have a decent store of travel karma built up come Europe. Don't you?
I'll start from the end. I found this article online after being informed about the happenings of the last few days in the ever volatile Thai south by fellow travelers whilst soaking up the rays on the Perhentian Islands:
CLICK HERE
Zoom back to June the 4th. I was en route to Malaysia from Thailand, enjoying the luxury of my 2nd class sleeper when I was so rudely awakened by a jolt as our train stopped. A hurried attendant came into the back car, where I was grumpily stirring, and asked us to promptly awake and gather our things; the train was experiencing a "track failure" and was going to have to back up two stations to Hat Yai. We were to disembark immediately upon arrival there. Upon stepping onto the platform, I was greeted by a TV cameraman who was up in my face like peanut butter on jelly. 'I guess he's never seen a tourist,' I thought. I made my way across town to the bus station after receiving a pittance of a refund from the ever generous Thai Railway system, where I nearly witnessed the largest riot in history over the privilege to board a mini-van. You see, everyone who had been headed to the Malaysian border via train was now trying to procure tickets on the only mini-bus headed anywhere near Sungai Kolok. After nearly getting stampeded to death, the ticket attendant, threw up his arms and left for a half hour. He returned with a big, clunky bus that must have seen its last use right around when - judging by its cobweb-covered colored lights - disco died. At least we had a bus. In Cambodia, they would certainly have made all 100+ people board a single Dodge Caravan and probably stick a few more on the roof for good measure.
About an hour into our trip - including the twice around the bus station we did just for good measure - traffic began to slow to almost a complete halt. We crept along the road until finally we could see the cause of the hold-up; a crowd of hundreds of Muslims clad in robes and shawls had blocked off all but one lane of traffic in front of a mosque. They were standing arms folded - like a troop of Arabic bouncers - and cast glances of death at each person who passed. The Thai people on the bus started to shrink in their seats. A woman a few rows ahead of me stood up to look and see what was happening and her boyfriend pulled her back to the seat. All was tense as we passed the scene, then the Sungai Kolok native sitting beside me explained what the trouble was the best he could... by making a serious of explosion noises. Indeed he was correct. 5 days ago - auspiciously the Buddha's birthday - machine gunfire ripped through the mosque and a roadside bomb killed 10-15 police officers and civilians. Now, the Muslim community was staging a giant protest. It was the closest feeling I'll probably ever experience to driving through the West Bank of Israel.
I think it's pretty cool that I've probably had my face on Thai TV along with a segment with phrases like 'Muslim Insurgents' and 'derailed train.' So we've had the 'stranded by a jackknifed 18 wheeler' event in China (not to mention the dirt road being dug right in from of our van), the 'hey, let's stuff 26 people in a pickup truck with all their luggage' bright idea in Cambodia, a few other mishaps made trivial only be the aforementioned disasters, and now the 'Shanghai-ed by Muslim extremists' adventure. I should think that I have a decent store of travel karma built up come Europe. Don't you?
posted by Sean | 11:08 AM
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