I’ve been a bit negative lately, in pointing out all the weird stuff happening as APEC approaches. To try to rectify any misunderstanding, I’ll try to put a more positive spin on the City of Angels, and explain why I like it here.

BKK’s a big, exciting, vibrant city on par with NY or KL. It’s a city that never sleeps. All through the day and night sidewalks are full of people and dogs (at least they used to be -- see below) going about their business (but I don’t know where the dogs do theirs, since I’ve never stepped in any). When the day markets close, the night markets open. When the tire and motorcycle shops across the road from my apartment close, they transform into sidewalk restaurants, which are still packed at 2 in the morning.

It’s a city that’s alive and used (or dirty, if you want to be negative), a city full of fascinating, yet sometimes frustrating people. A city where you can wake up with a death-defying motorcycle ride through traffic. A city with a disproportionate number of immaculately-dressed, beautiful women. A city where prices are cheap (and so are salaries), all the comforts of home are available (except books). A city with no insects, and plentiful A/C.

Going to class on Thannon Silom this week, something seemed different. Then I realized that the sidewalks were practically deserted. Gone were the vendors, karaoke beggars, and dogs. I admit, it was nice to be able to walk on the sidewalk without having to navigate past all these obstacles, and all the Thais (already the slowest walkers in the world) randomly stopping to look at this crap. However, what initially impressed me about Silom was all the hustle and bustle. With all this stuff removed, it’s just a boring street.

And the thing is, it’s not actually any cleaner, and the sidewalk is still broken and uneven. In fact, removing the people makes the dirt more apparent. Now the APEC delegates will be impressed by a deserted, dirty street.

Later, I found all the vendors, packed into the lobby of the CP Tower. Could Bangkok eventually become like Singapore, where vendors are restricted to “hawker centers?” Boring.

The APEC nonsense has even interfered with my visa situation, ironically. Due to APEC, police are randomly stopping foreigners and checking passports. They are of course in their right to do this. It’s just that they never have before. Since my visa expires on the 23rd, I figured I would go to Immigration early to get my extension sorted out. I went on the 17th, and it turns out it’s closed due to APEC until the 24th.

I don’t even know where to start complaining about this. What is the logic in closing all government offices for a week? It’s like a cruel joke: “Let’s crack down on visas, AND let’s make it impossible to get visas.” Luckily, I will only be one day over. A Nigerian guy there was one day over already. That would be a bad situation to be in, since there is a chance he could get stopped by the cops (especially since he’s black). I have a feeling that Bangkok’s finest will be unsympathetic to the fact that he tried to fix his visa, but couldn’t since immigration was closed, and will throw him in jail if they catch him. I also have a feeling that immigration will be unsympathetic to me, and will not extend my visa since it will be expired. Never mind the fact that they were closed for a week. I’ll probably even have to pay the fee for being over. We’ll see what happens.

But don’t worry, folks. Unless I get stopped on the way to Immigration on the 23rd, I am legal. I think the worst that can happen is I’ll have to pay 200 baht for being one day over, and I’ll have to make an impromptu trip to Cambodia.

I just hope things get back to normal after APEC. The irony is, who the gives a crap about, or even knows what APEC is outside of Thailand? PM Thaksin has the poor Thais brainwashed into believing that Thailand is the center of the world, and he is God Almighty, because this ineffective meeting, whose only accomplishment has been agreeing to have heads-of-state wear the same shirt in the group photo, is being held here.