This is the last day James and I spent together! After a curt lunch in Hat-Yai we bade our fair wells where after James hastily jumped on a songthaew. He was in a rush to check into a hostel and then make his way to the boarder as his visa was running out. He was doing what is otherwise known as a "visa run".
I made my way further into the deep south to a city called Narathiwat. Besides the terrorist activity in the area it is also a quaint town. Not much to do in the city but it's filled with lovely and friendly people.
It was easy finding Narathiwat Hotel. I simply asked for the cheapest hotel in town and was instantly directed here. You can't go wrong at the price. It's clean, presentable, has a nice atmosphere and comes with 15 prostitutes. They mostly kept to themselves and hardly acknowledged my presence. I guess they knew I wouldn't be a customer. Although, when I smiled at them they did smile back.
Driving south earlier in the day I could feel the heavy military presence from the many road blocks we crossed and the ample military bases along the road. At the hotel the clerk made sure I understood that I had to be back in the hotel before 9 pm. The doors are locked and nobody is allowed in or out.
Rene is a retired ambulance driver. Born in Vietnam to French and Vietnamese parents he grew up in France from the age of 18. This means he saw the worst of the Vietnam War in his childhood years. Like retired expats in Thailand he lives off his pension from home. He usually lives in the north of Thailand but spends a few months of the year in Narathiwat. I have no idea why. He became one of my sources of information about the area as he could speak excellent English.
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