For The Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour Part 30, click here.

Iconic sites in Bangkok, Muay Thai kickboxing at Rajadamnern Stadium and a visit to ancient Silk Road gem mining and trade center of Chanthaburi, to be followed by Part 31, interview with the Wushu Federation of Thailand Secretary General Mr. Blue, and unique aspects of Buddhism in Thailand.

 

Maritime Silk Road Capital of Siam

When most people think of Thailand, visions of beaches merging into emerald green water and brilliant rainbow red, orange and golden sunsets come to mind, juxtaposed next to the image of Bangkok as an incredibly huge megalopolis with endless opportunities. Like most countries there have been intrigues in the capital and struggles for power, but these days stability has returned and a brighter cleaner Thailand is emerging. Thailand is an ancient land with at least 6,000 years of seafaring culture making it a major hub of the maritime Silk Roads since time immemorial. Archeological excavations in Thailand uncovered gemstones from Taxila in Pakistan, glass beads for jewelry from the Mediterranean and coins from the Middle East.

Thailand is unique in that unlike other Asian nations, it was never colonized by Europeans. During the colonial era – that is the past 500 years – it was a buffer between Myanmar and Malaysia which were British colonies, and Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam which were colonized by France. But that isn’t half the story. In fact, Thais have their own unique spiritual and diplomatic methodologies and devastating martial arts. Their diplomacy included ceding parts of their non-Thai-speaking lands, e.g. parts of what is now called Malaysia to the British, and Laos and Cambodia to the French. Thai diplomacy won what was then called “Siam” an unparalleled level of independence during the most difficult centuries of colonization.

As the land Silk Roads reached their twilight due to colonial domination of the port cities around Asia, Bangkok (called “Krung Thep” in Thai language) - due to its strategic location near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River - gradually rose to prominence beginning in the early 1400s. It became the capital city under the rule of King Rama I, in 1782.

 

Day 1 – Thursday September 26th (Thursday)

We arrived at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport usually called DMK, or “the old airport” (because it started operations in 1914) early in the morning. As usual these days I was accompanied by good friend Miao Hui who has accompanied me through many adventures around China and Asia.

Around seven AM, we took the metro downtown. As always, I was hungry and though we had rented an Airbnb apartment, we couldn’t check in till 3:00 pm so we went to have breakfast on Khaosan Road. For the past 30 to 40 years or so Khaosan Road has been famous as “the backpacker’s center” of the city. We didn’t see too many backpackers, but it’s a lively street with breakfast places that open early and lots of colorful people. Generally speaking, the street is a bit upgraded since the 1980s, but still pretty much the same. A better bet for those with goals besides partying is nearby Soi Rambuttri Street, only a few minutes away from Khaosan Road, as it’s cleaner and quieter, has reasonably-priced places to stay, restaurants and bookshops. After breakfast, we took a walk along the length of Khaosan Road. In the early 1990s, there was a small but great Muay Thai school at one end called Jeddi Gym, or something like that, where I used to train and sleep. But alas, it’s gone now.

Still, Khaosan Road is a good first stop as it’s right next door to several of Bangkok’s most iconic historic sites mostly found along Ratchadamnoen Avenue – a very old road in Bangkok which links the extraordinarily beautiful Grand Palace adjoining the Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) to the Royal Palaces in Dusit Garden. Don’t be sidetracked by any “polite gentleman” who offers a “tour of six temples for only 60 baht” along with tons of other “great information” about Bangkok as it’s an old but “evergreen” scam. It’s best to walk as the most majestic of Bangkok’s historical sites are all nearby. Our stroll through time and the monumental wonders of ancient Bangkok ended at Wat Intharawihan with its 32-metre tall standing gold-plated Buddha (above) bathing the neighborhood in beatific tranquility.

Completing our walking tour, I quickly checked the Rajadamnern Stadium online schedule. The oldest and most illustrious Muay Thai kickboxing venue in Thailand, Rajadamnern Stadium has been the road to fame and glory and/or the agony of defeat for thousands of young men – Thai and foreign - since its founding in 1945. I found fights scheduled every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings. Not knowing where we'd be Sunday night, I decided there is no better way to spend one’s first evening in Bangkok than at live Muay Thai combat in the sanctum sanctorum of Rajadamnern Stadium.

 

Muay Thai at Rajadamnern Stadium

These performances have to be experienced to be believed. They begin with the Ran Muay, a personalized dance-like prayer performed by the fighters honoring parents, school and masters that incorporates some simple stretching and fighting movements. They wear a unique headband called Mong Kon, which likewise has deeply spiritual significance. The live orchestra has two drums and two pee java flute players (sometimes cymbals). The flutes play melodies not so different from ancient middle-eastern Silk Roads music giving the whole experience the flavor of the exotic. If the action in the ring gets a bit slow, the ensemble will quicken its pace to encourage the fighters, and they definitely reach crescendos with the fight action so it’s an interactive system of music and fighting.

In the Muay Thai system, there are five rounds with two-minute breaks between. I was a little surprised by a couple of things. First, I didn’t see any turning kicks to the head like I used to back in the 1970s. Their boxing skills have improved, forming the first battery of attacks, and knee attacks while in clinches formed the second battery. “Back in the day,” turning kicks to the head were the number one KO techniques but I didn’t see them at all this evening. My second surprise was to find Miao totally into the multi-sensory action, cheering along the fighters and totally absorbed in the ancient martial rituals.

Thai Long sword on display at the National Museum Bangkok.

 

Day 2 - September 27, 2019 (Friday)

On this beautiful day we went to the National Museum Bangkok. “Free for Buddhist monks and priests and children not older than 12,” said the sign at the ticket office. This Museum isn’t like any other museum. It is actually the Phra Ratchawang Bowon Sathan Kongkol, or, for those who don’t speak Thai so well, “The Palace of the Front” built in 1782 during the early Bangkok period. It looks like a palace and indeed was a palace – specifically the residence of the five Viceroys, AKA Deputy Kings, mostly younger brothers of Great Kings and oldest son of the Second King Pinklao. Just to prove all things must pass, it was abolished as an official palace and then deserted in 1887, and in 1926 His Majesty King Prajadhipok better known as Rama VII donated all the buildings to become the National Museum Bangkok. And oh, what a museum it is. Within one can find the origins of art and culture in Thailand and follow the traditional arts up through the ages. The first building one usually visits is the Buddhaisawan Chapel, which houses the Phra Buddha Sihing, containing one of if not the most gorgeous alters to be found in the world. And on the walls one can find ancient murals from the early Bangkok period recording Buddhist and even martial endeavors. It’s amazing how many ancient places of worship contain art with decidedly martial themes, e.g. Mogao Caves in Gansu province China.

Across from that, on the left side of the lane, one finds the Audience Hall. Called the Red House, it is built from fine polished teakwood with a glorious collection of artworks within. And up the path a way, one finds the Throne Hall and oh so many other masterpieces of Thai architecture, culture, history and arts. The intricate, bright and beautiful workmanship that went into every tiny detail of everything in this complex is mind bogglingly, stunningly awesome. It seems practically everything there is gold. There is even a Royal Funeral Chariots Hall; with the chariots being huge gold funerary vehicles, certainly the most splendid in the world.

All in all, there’s something like 614 locations within this time-capsule of a divinely artistic world. It would take a hundred lifetimes to appreciate all the intricate details in the history, architecture, paintings, huge gold artifacts and other display pieces, most of which have been perfectly preserved down through the ages. The murals in the splendid Buddhaisawan Chapel reveal so much about ancient history, culture, humor, enlightenment, and military arts. There were a few sections that have faded, and some small sections missing but enough is there to bask in the flow of ethereal world.

That all took a few timeless hours and within my mind a more splendid world than I’ve ever experienced unfolded. It was just starting to rain as we were leaving; September is the rainy season here and we went to the street to catch a taxi to the Jewelry Trading Center (JTC) Thailand, housed in one of the tallest buildings in Bangkok. With 59 floors of gems and gem related equipment it’s a global landmark. Bangkok is one of the world’s most famous centers for gem trading, and precious and semi-precious stones here are often or usually sold cheaper than in the countries from which the gems originally come. How that works I have no idea, but I hung out with quite an assortment of traders and that’s one thing everyone agreed on.

Suddenly it was time to check into our next luxury condo for a whole $52 a night, with a swimming pool on the 45th floor, fitness center, etc. Not my usual humble abode, but hard to resist as I love swimming and the location is good.

 

Day 3 – September 28, 2019, Saturday – Ancient Silk Road Center of Chanthaburi

Stone tools unearthed in the town of Chanthaburi in southern Thailand are estimated to be about 2,000 years old, though it wasn’t until the 12th century that it appeared as a town. By the 15th Century however it was quite famous for rubies:

“A hundred li (twenty miles) to the southwest of this Kingdom there is a trading place, Shang Shui, which is on the road to Yun hou-men, [thought to be a canal between Chanthaburi and Trat Provinces in eastern Thailand]. In this place there are five or six hundred foreign families who sell all kinds of foreign goods; many Hung-ma-sze-ken-ti stones are sold there. This stone is an inferior kind of ruby, bright and clear like the seeds of the pomegranate.” Ma Huan, 1408 AD

Ma Huan incidentally was one of four officials who accompanied legendary Chinese explorer Zheng He during his seven voyages into the Indian Ocean, 1405 to 1433. Ma Huang spoke Arabic and Persian and thus acted as an interpreter.

One of the sellers at table Chanthaburi Gem Market.

 

Our journey to Chanthaburi

We got to Bangkok’s Eastern bus terminal called “Ekkamai” around noon and left Bangkok 12:30 arriving in Chanthaburi about 5 pm. Chanthaburi is only a few kilometers from the Gulf of Thailand and Cambodia. After arrival we walked a couple of kilometers to KP Grand Hotel, then after dark walked to the traditional food stall street and had a huge super-delicious vegetarian dinner accompanied by - a Chinese opera, much to my surprise.

Chanthaburi, Miao told me isn’t only famous for gem trading, but also the smelliest fruit in the world, durian, which Miao loves, so after dinner it was off in search of this pungent delicacy. We met a grandmother in the main-street market who gave us directions through smaller streets to find the illusive fruit. Fifteen minutes or so later we finally found the durian and another amazing show, specifically a Chinese acrobatic show, which started with the highest human pyramid I’ve ever seen supported by a 30-foot central pole held up by some of the acrobats. Then a spectacular fluorescent glowing dragon appeared out of nowhere that danced happily around the town square for a while before appearing to climb the huge stack of acrobats who were tied to the pole. When he got to the top fireworks came roaring out of the dragon’s mouth as he danced enthusiastically. This was all very amazing for me and the hundred or so families that had gathered around the small-town old central plaza fountain.

 

Day 4, September 30, 2019

In Vietnam, we visited the gem mining town of Loc Yan; in Indonesia we visited the diamond mines in Cempaka, and so one would think we’d be prepared for the gem trading town of Chanthaburi. But, in fact, every gem town has different cultures and procedures and one can always expect surprises. For example, though there is a sizable Chinese-descent minority in Chanthaburi, many of the biggest traders are Pakistanis.

Located on Trok Kachang street the gem market – if given just a quick glance - looks a lot more like a restaurant street than a gem market. There are lots of shops with tables and chairs, but very little food is to be found there. Whereas one might think sellers would sit at the tables in a gem trading center (like in Loc Yan, Vietnam), instead in Chanthaburi it’s the buyers that sit at tables and the sellers go from table to table in the different houses. We spent the whole day there and we got to know one of the trading house managers quite well. Known simply as Badshah, this gentleman is a large jolly fellow from Peshawar Pakistan and frequently travels between Thailand, China, Japan, Pakistan and a dozen other places buying and selling rather large quantities of precious gems. He’s reached the point in his career where he never needs to carry money or gems but has networks of friends and relatives that carry on the business leaving him to make decisions. Indeed, for the rest of our time in Thailand, we hung out mainly with his friends and were honored to enjoy a lovely dinner at one of his homes.

At the trading house he operates in Chanthaburi, he doesn’t so much do trading but rather operates as house manager. How does he profit from this? I learned there’s a 14% commission from the broker that sells the stone, with 6% going to the manager, and 8% going to the buyer. The manager however is responsible to ensure the gems are, or at least can be certified as the real thing, and must negotiate between the sellers and buyers when there is a discrepancy. What’s really amazing is he’s only been in the gem business and Thailand for five years, yet speaks Thai reasonably well, in addition to a half dozen other languages including Chinese and English. Then, back to Bangkok and more new adventures. 

For The Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour Part 32, click here.

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About Greg Brundage :
Gregory Brundage is KungFuMagazine's Silk Roads roving reporter and 'old-school' Wushu aficionado from 'back in the day'. Greg funds these Silk Road journeys out of his own pocket. If you want to support his travels by donating, his PayPal account is under director@silkroadresearchcenter.org.

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