Cobras, Cockroaches, and Kings

James D. Priest

Some time ago, my son David took a trip to exotic Thailand. This piece was written after his return home. He stayed in bustling Bangkok and toured ancient Chiang Mai, and it was an enlightening experience to say the least. In a way I went with him, and not just in spirit. Let me explain.

As I write this, on the desk beside me is a small, white alarm clock. David lived in Boston and I in Minneapolis. During a stopover visit, he borrowed the clock. Then, mistakenly or not, he packed it in his luggage. On several subsequent visits, he forgot to return it. I could sense that he liked it, and guess what made the trip?

With a population of over 5 million, cosmopolitan and crowded Bangkok is the capital and largest city of a country onc...

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