Taking the Slow Coach

I was in a taxi when I passed by Bangkok’s railway station and I decided I wanna experience the train ride in Thailand. That Saturday, I bought myself a ticket. For 15 bht, I hop on the train on the Bangkok - Sungai Golok route, a 2 hour ride, and a whole new experience.
I only found a seat after walking through 4 coaches. I was surprised how crowded the train was. Free seating, non air conditioned with small fans attached to the ceiling (like those you see in taxis many years ago). Immediately, I noticed the travelers were darker skin Thai; or of other nationalities, I’m not sure. But a lot of them looked like Malaysians, some bertudung, and spoke heavily accented Malay. I guess that’s because the train goes all the way to Sungai Golok, the southern tip of Thailand bordering Malaysia.

I felt uncomfortable and out of place, like I was walking alone in a complex full of rempit Malays. Before long, the scenery took my attention away. You get to see how the landscape changes as you travel away from the city. From sights of construction, you start to see farms and water canals.

The bunch of Malay boys seated behind me started talking to me. One from Bukit Gombak asked, “Ada awek kat sini?” I didn’t feel like I was in Thailand at all. In fact, I felt like it was Raya and I was on the train to balik kampung (not like I take the train to balik kampung before).

Refreshment facility? Peddlers would hop on the train to sell drinks from a plastic bucket, or packed rice with basil pork; the only thing that reminds me it is still Thailand. When the train stops at a station (quite so frequently), one could buy roasted eggs and peanuts from the street peddler, right out of the train window. As I was enjoying the roasted eggs, I could smell weed smoke, which did not bother me.

When I arrived at my station, only did I realise there isn’t a way to get to Don Wai. So I hired a motorcycle for 300 bht, and rode for another 45 minutes on the highway going 100kmph without a helmet. That was the distance between Bangkok and Don Wai, if I hadn’t taken the train. But who cares, this is the fun you miss if you use google maps or a GPS.

I would like to see more of Thailand by train, hopefully to somewhere further; and this time I will get one of those bunker beds.