Santacon 2011: Santa Swim Party

 On December 10^th, around the world, people celebrate “Santacon” – which is essentially an event where everyone dresses up as Santa Clause and assembles together.  In New York – it is a massive gathering, with thousands of red Santa suits, black boots, and shiny belts.

My classmates and I decided to bring the tradition to Bangkok, even though Bangkok itself has never participated in the extravaganza.  Because Thailand is 94% Buddhist – we were unable to find traditional Santa costumes.  So we improvised.  It is far too hot here for a traditional wool Santa suit – so we instigated a different kind of suit – Santa Swim Suits.  I made 15 cotton ball beards, and we got together for another potluck party (like Thanksgiving) and afternoon of fun.  We had Santa Swimsuit Model Competitions, Santa Swim Sprint Races, Santa Belly Flop Contests, Santa in the Middle, and a Santa Surfing Tournament.

 

Due to the floods, our semester has become incredibly condensed, and we now have class all day, every day.  This was a great party for us, although we are stressed with school, to put the homework aside, share food, laughs and a few pool rafts, and float away the afternoon.  The only thing missing at this party was eggnog – which was fine by me!

Falang Means Foreigner: My Five Seconds of Fame

 

"This WOMAN..."

  

One important thing that I failed to mention in my recounts of His Majesty’s Birthday – was the amount of photographers and media that took our pictures and interviewed us.  I have never felt so uncomfortable in my life.  I assumed everyone (especially foreigners/tourists) came out to see the King – but I quickly learned that there are not that many falangs (foreigners) that come to see His Majesty – and there certainly are not that many falangs with BLONDE hair that come to see the King.

My five seconds of fame...

Carolina and I also got our picture in the paper!

Tuesday during our lunch break at Chula, one of my classmates came running up holding The Nation, one of Thailand’s largest English newspapers.  He was covering a spot in the paper and said, “Guess which one of our classmates is in THE NATION?!”  …As we searched more papers, it became clear, that there were several featuring a certain blonde “foreign woman” in the paper. 

It certainly was embarrassing!  I never have felt so “different” in my life.

Birthday Celebrations Continue

One important thing to explain – is COLORS.  His Majesty was born on a Monday (like me :) and our color is yellow.  But in 2007, after spending several weeks in the hospital with heart problems, King Bhumibol reemerged exiting from the hospital wearing a pink shirt and pink blazer.  Royal astrologers had predicted that pink was good for his health, and, like wildfire, the entire country replaced their yellow shirts with pink ones.  Others speculated that this transition in color was conducted so as not to be confused with the “Yellow Shirts” – one of the two political parties here in Thailand, who is responsible for the coup in 2006.  Either way – there was no shortage of pink or yellow today!

There are a few facts most people may not know about the King.  His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej -- known in Thailand as King Rama IX -- was actually born in the United States on December 5, 1927, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He later finished his education in Switzerland and was crowned the King of Thailand on June 9, 1946.

Thai dancers at National Theatre

King Bhumibol Adulyadej rear-ended a truck in 1948 while studying in France. He lost his right eye after the accident, however, it was through this accident that he met the daughter of the Thai ambassador to France – the future Queen of Thailand.

The King of Thailand is not only the longest-serving monarch, but also the richest. His fortune was estimated in 2010 to be worth at least US $30 Billion dollars.

Dancer from Singapore at National Theatre

The name Bhumibol Adulyadej means "Strength of the Land." Considering that the king of Thailand has seen, encouraged, or put down over 15 coups during his 61-year-long reign, he lives up to the name well!  (Queen Elizabeth was formally crowned Queen of England in 1953, three years after King Bhumibol).

After the parade, we were all exhausted, hungry, and dehydrated.  We went to the first place we could find that was away from the masses and chowed down on food.  We walked the streets, taking in all of the celebrations, colors and sights.

We attended a free professional theatre performance at the National Theatre in celebration of His Majesty the King’s Birthday Anniversary, and were able to see dances from all over Southeast Asia – including Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, India, Singapore and more.

Lighting a candle for His Majesty

We the grabbed food on the street, sat on the grass in the middle of Sanam Luang and waited for the fireworks.  The Prime Minister came out, we lit candles and sang the King’s Song and prayed for his health and continued happiness. 

All of a sudden, without warning, we felt like we were in the middle of a war zone.  Loud noises, massive flames, heat, everything.  I remember thinking to myself – is this supposed to happen, because fireworks in my country are NOT organized this way.  There were no indicators as to where the fireworks were situated on the lawn, and they would just all of a sudden jet up in the middle of the grass on the lawn where we were sitting and send people screaming and running.  It was incredibly chaotic, and as the giant red firework flames set the nearby trees ablaze, I for sure thought we were in trouble.  I certainly don’t remember fireworks for my sister’s birthday on the Fourth of July being this exhilarating!

It wasn’t even five minutes after fireworks, that we saw more fire floating in the sky, and had to get a closer look.  Glowing lanterns were lit and sent off into the sky in hundreds.  With my classmates, we bought one lantern, and together, we made wishes of happiness for our upcoming year together here in Thailand.  If it weren’t for seeing His Majesty, this would have been my highlight of the day.

The amount of joy in this picture is amazing :)

After the fireworks, we battled with over half a million people to exit the Grand Palace area and go home.  We had officially been out celebrating for twelve hours – at least six of which were in the hot sun, and we were tired, dehydrated, and sunburnt.  BUT, we got to see the King, and the Royal Family TWICE…so we were all smiles as we exhaustingly returned home!

ทรงพระเจริญ Long Live the King

The entire gang awaiting His Majesty!

6:15 am…my alarm goes off.  I groan.  My one free morning to sleep in, and instead, I’m getting up early.  I put on my yellow, put on sunscreen, and prepare for the unexpected.

A few of us decided that on our Monday holiday, 5 December 2011, we would get up early and try to catch a glimpse of the King.  December 5^th is his birthday, and I was told by my Thai friend that there is a large parade and procession for the King, on his journey from Siriraj Hospital (where he has resided since September 2009) into the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall.  I didn’t know what to expect, but I assumed it would be another motorcade similar to the ones I have seen at the United Nations – massive guard rails, police, snippers, guard dogs, helicopters, guns, tinted windows and media cameras.

 Riding the BTS into the middle of town was spooky – everything was deserted - more than when we had the floods.  I met my fellow classmates on the BTS and we squished into taxis that flew down the vacated roads to the Grand Palace.  As we started to get closer, we quickly realized why all the streets downtown were empty – the ENTIRE population of Bangkok was aligning the street by the old Palace, waiting for an opportunity to see his Majesty.  The colors, faces, flags and masses that we whizzed by were endless, and as we got out, we felt incredibly unprepared for the madness of the crowd.

We found a space on the curb and assumed, because it was empty, (while in other sections there had been 8-10 rows of people lining up from the curb!), that this curbside area was not on his Majesty’s motorcade loop.  However, after a reporter repeatedly insisted on taking our picture, we decided to exchange information for a photo.  We found out that the King and the entire Royal Family would be doing a motorcade loop around the entire Grand Palace.  So we ran back to the curb, spread out, and waited.  

Waiting in the hot beating sun on hot hot pavement for two hours would have seemed like a horrible idea for our first day off in weeks, but the minute the first Royal guards came out, we could feel the excitement and knew it was all worth it.

As time went on, I kept thinking to myself, “This can’t be where he is driving by, I think we are in the wrong place.  There is NO guardrail and we are right on the road!”

More and more Mercedes and BMWs whizzed past – we were told they were members of the royal entourage, the Privy Council, the Cabinet, the National Assembly, the diplomatic corps, and government officials.  And then, all of a sudden it got really really quiet.  I could FEEL the adrenaline rush and everyone began to chant, “ทรงพระเจริญ” (Long Live the King).  I couldn’t believe it, is this it!?  At this point, we had been waiting more like three hours, no amount of sunscreen could have protected what we had sat through, and I was fairly certain I would need an IV to replenish the amount of water I had sweat out.  No no – this can’t really be him, there is no guard rail!  It’s just me, and the road!

 

People started hitting me and shaking their fingers.  This is when I learned it is forbidden to take pictures of His Majesty and the Royal Family.  So while I can promise you I got to see him (TWICE!!!) I do not have much picture proof.

I obviously did not take this picture, but this is His Majesty on his way to make his speech from the balcony of the Palace December 5, 2011

Again, assuming my UN protocol, usually a few unimportant cars go by in the beginning of the motorcade before the high level official is presented – somewhere in the middle.  Wrong.  His Majesty and the Queen were in the FIRST car, and it took me several seconds to realize it was them.  I was so shocked to see them I didn’t even realize I had been screaming and waving flags the entire time until after they passed.  Screaming for President Obama when he goes by is normal – but no one really “screams” for the King.  They chant, quietly, and wave his flag.

I was a little upset because I felt that I didn’t really get to see His Majesty as much as I had wanted – and not for the assumed reasons.  We were first row – there was no guard rail, no tinted windows, no guard, or no tall person blocking my view.  But I failed to “appreciate” the moment because I didn’t register that he was in the first car, until it had almost past.  Furthermore, I didn’t even look to see who was behind him (aka the Royal Family!) because I had been so star struck.

 This is a video during His Majesty's Speech - you can hear him speaking in the background, and hear how quiet over 500,000 people are while he is speaking...

After the motorcade, many people got up…but we noticed a few did not move.  I asked them why, and they said he was coming BACK after his speeches.  Some students had enough of the hot sun and heat, but I decided, this was my one chance, we had great seats, and I had already sweat out every ounce of water in me…I wanted to see him again.  So we waited.

Then again, just like before, without any warning, people began to chant and this time I was ready.  This time – I got to see the ENTIRE Royal Family, and I could name each member as they went by in their car.  As the white Volkswagen van pulled up, I couldn’t believe how close I got, to the longest reigning monarch in the world.  It was truly indescribable.