That’s what my students said when I told them to do a problem. It’s the general-purpose Thai exclamation, and I say it now emphatically. Why? Because once again, for the fourth time, I am trying to find a place to live. It’s incredibly difficult, and I don’t think it’s possible to find a place on your own. You have to have a lead.

I’ve tasted the good life with the condo I’m sub-leasing for 7,000 baht ($175). It’s an incredible deal, and I only got it because my boss knew the owners. The building has lots of amenities (of which I only use the weight room) The room is furnished, and there is even a TV and a big fridge. The bathroom is Western. High speed internet is available, and it has a nice view. The only problem: it’s in Pinklao.

So, not having any leads, I journeyed to Victory Monument, or anu sobari chai somonapul if you want a Thai person to understand you, where I used to live. I liked that area, because it was in the center of town, right on the Skytrain. There are lots of people about, because of all the markets, and the fact that it’s a major transit hub. There’s lots of outdoor restaurants, and a beer garden with live entertainment every night.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find that many places, and most of them were full. I found two available places. For what I am paying now, I would get a little room, with only a bed, a closet, and a little TV stand (sans TV), and a Thai-style bathroom (just a shower in a corner with no curtain, so you brush your teeth standing in a puddle of water). They had a great location, though, right next to the little park I used to run in. I suppose if I picked up some cheapo furniture they would be OK.

Today took the Skytrain to the Phrom Phong station, by the Emporium, which is close to my university. There are lots of condos here, but they all have at least two bedrooms. I can’t find any studios. The only places I can find are “mansions,” which are run-down old buildings with little rooms that have some furniture. In this area a mansion goes for what I am paying now, but most of them are “suicide hotels.” I want to step up to a studio condo. I guess I’ll sit tight for now.

Old and new

One of the things I like about Thailand is the weird mix of old and new. Bangkok is literally a jumbled mess, with modern skyscrapers right next to primitive wooden shacks. Little did I know Bangkok’s (and hence Thailand’s) tallest building, the Baiyoke 2 Tower, perfectly embody this principle. Visible from practically everywhere in the city, the Baiyoke seems to be the symbol of the new Thailand: a modern office building (it’s actually a hotel) for a new millennium.

I had never seen the bottom of the Baiyoke, though. On my futile search for an a apartment, I accidentally walked from Victory Monument to the Baiyoke. I was amused to note that the base of the modern tower is what appears to be a tenement, complete with fire damage that nobody has bothered to repair. Hopefully the structural integrity is sound, because this building would wipe out a good portion of the city if it fell over. The very bottom is your average Thai market, complete with narrow walkways packed with meandering Thais, guys pushing carts around, and people selling all manner of random things. I love Thailand!

Some interesting facts about the Baiyoke. It is the world’s second tallest hotel building (it was the tallest when it was completed). It is the world’s second tallest reinforced concrete building (again, it was the tallest when it was completed). That means it does not contain any girders, which is an impressive feat.

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