Recently, I went to Chaing Mai for Loy Krathong, which is celebrated throughout Thailand, and Yi Peng, which is celebrated in Chiang Mai and across north Thailand.

On the first day in Chiang Mai, some friends and I did a Thai traditional dress (chut thai) photoshoot. The traditional Thai dress styles were formalized into eight outfits for women attending official functions by Queen Sirikit. The chakkri, which is what we wore, is one of the most famous Thai traditional dresses. The outfit consists of a bodice wrapped in a shawl or sabai draped over the shoulder. The ensemble is then paired with ornate jewelry, like a belt, necklace, earrings, and bracelets.

The next day, we took a cooking class at a farm just outside of Chiang Mai. First, the owner, Da, picked us up and took us to the market to get fresh ingredients. Once we arrived at Da’s farm, he showed us his organic herbs and vegetables, then we started cooking our 4-course Thai meals. We were able to choose from several options for each course, and I decided on yellow curry with chicken, clear soup with egg/tofu/minced pork, stir fried minced chicken with holy basil, and deep fried spring rolls. The food was incredible; my favorites were the yellow curry and spring rolls.

cooking class with Da!

Da’s farm

Yi Peng and Loy Krathong

Then, the day of the Yi Peng lantern festival arrived! There are three lights associated with this festival – the sky lanterns, krathong, and Phang Pratheep. The sky lanterns are the signature of the Yi Peng Festival, commonly believed to carry away bad luck. It is also a means to pay respect to the ancestors who rest in heaven.

About Yi Peng –

Yi Peng refers to the full moon day in the second month according to the Lanna lunar calendar (the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar). During the festival, floating lanterns are launched into the air. Khomloy are made from a thin fabric stretched over a bamboo or wire frame, to which a candle or fuel cell is attached.

Origins of Yi Peng –

The origin of the sky lanterns in Thailand is connected to the beliefs of the Lanna people. It is believed that they must worship the Buddha relics, Phra That Kaew Chulamanee, on the full moon of the twelfth month. However, the relic is stored at the highest of heaven floors. In order for their prayers to reach heaven, the Lanna people then used the sky lanterns to worship the Buddha relics during the festival.

About Loy Krathong –

Loy Krathong is to express gratitude to the water goddess, Ganga. Some believe that floating the krathong is to worship their ancestors, removing bad fortune from their life, and to make wishes for their future.

The name, Loy Krathong, translates to “float a basket” and comes from the tradition of making krathong decorated baskets, which float on a river. Loy Krathong takes place on the evening of the full moon of the twelfth month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar; hence, the exact date of the festival changes every year. In the Western calendar, this usually falls in the month of November.

A krathong is decorated with elaborately folded banana leaves, incense sticks, and a candle. A small coin is sometimes included as an offering to the river spirits. On the night of the full moon, Thai people launch their krathong on a river, canal, or pond, making a wish as they do so. The krathong’s floating symbolizes letting go of one’s hatred and anger.

Phang Pratheep – The Lanna people believe that lighting of Phang Pratheep is the act of showing gratitude to all their benefactors. The light of Phang Pratheep is also related to enlightenment and prosperity.

Yi Peng experience –

Although there were Yi Peng and Loy Krathong events all throughout the city, my friends and I decided to go to one organized by Chiang Mai Arts and Design. Before the lantern releasing portion of the event, we enjoyed tribal village arts and crafts, like Lanna lantern making, and Lanna Thai food (khao soi, pad thai, northern Thai style pork curry, etc.). There was also a drum performance, candle dance show, and religious ceremony.

Once everyone lit their lanterns and they started floating to the sky, along with fireworks going off at the same time, the ensuing sight was incredible. It truly felt like something out of a movie.

Chiang Mai Sunday night market

More about accompanying client to UNHCR:

When the day of the accompaniment arrived, I left early in the morning to account for Bangkok traffic. I brought everything I’d need with me including my accompaniment notebook, Muji pens I picked up specifically for this interview, my passport to show UNHCR, etc. Once I arrived at the UN, I saw the signature flags raised outside the building. I walked around to get to the UNHCR section/office, which was quite discreet, with a huge United Nations ESCAP sign, then a smaller sign below indicating the entrance for UNHCR. There’s a complaint & suggestion box, as well as a mailbox for submissions outside the entrance. My client arrived shortly after I did. The security officer checked our documents, then let us into the building, where they confiscated our electronic devices. From there, we waited until the client was called back for the first instance refugee status determination interview.

UN building

sign for UNHCR office

kitty who kept me company on my lunch break

Some sections of the interview include the introduction, biodata checking, asking why the asylum-seeker left their country of origin/why they cannot go back, and follow-up questions. Some clients will require a follow-up interview, particularly if there are a lot of incidents or details to their claim. After all FI RSD interviews have been conducted, then the client will receive the notification of decision letter from UNHCR i.e., whether or not they will be granted refugee status.

This is an incredible opportunity and experience, as I am able to support the client and also see firsthand how UNHCR is conducting the RSD interviews.

I am witnessing more and more the impact that AAT has on the outcome of clients’ cases with UNHCR. For example, I’ve seen AAT flag certain cases to UNHCR to help speed up a step in the RSD process (like registration), especially if the client has been waiting a long time, and then the client(s) will subsequently be registered or receive the update. It is important for refugees in Thailand to have the UNHCR card (received after registration) in order to receive increased access to services like healthcare.

Stages in the RSD process for asylum-seekers:

Although I touched on these stages previously, some of my earlier posts got deleted due to technical errors, so I thought I’d include this information again here for further clarity.

• Submit registration request
• Registration interview
• First instance interview(s)
• RSD result
• 30 days to appeal (if rejected)
  • Might have an appeal interview
  • Case is either accepted or rejected (again)
•  Can submit request to reopen case (if case has been rejected on appeal)

NSM event:

Last week, I attended an event titled, “Thailand’s New National Screening Mechanism and the Future of Refugee Protection,” with panelists, Patrick Phongsathorn, senior advocacy specialist at Fortify Rights, and Prima Sukmanop, legal officer at Asylum Access Thailand and representative, Coalition for the Rights of Refugees and Stateless Persons (CRSP). The event was moderated by Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director and Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) board member. Representatives from UNHCR and the Thai government were invited, but did not participate in the event.

For a bit of background about the event, in 2019, then-prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha signed off on a “National Screening Mechanism” to change how Thailand deals with the challenges of protecting asylum-seekers and refugees. The Royal Thai Police and Ministry of Interior are to run the arrangement, screen applicants, and determine who will be a protected person and legally allowed to stay in Thailand. Those denied will face deportation. The system began in late September 2023, but there are many unanswered questions, and there has not been a rush of applicants.

Discussions from the event touched upon key principles under NSM, how the NSM regulation has been interpreted and implemented in parallel with Thai immigration and criminal procedure laws, as well as practical limitations relating to the processes. According to Prima, concerns were raised about “[h]ow the existing legal framework still criminalizes irregular migration by requiring NSM applicants to be prosecuted for immigration charges before they are eligible to apply for protection from refoulement.”

Below are notes and takeaways from the panelists:

Patrick Phongsathorn –

• The principle of non-refoulement – certain groups will automatically be screened out of the national mechanism. Refugees in nine camps along borders, migrant workers, and individuals considered to be a threat to national security will be automatically screened out, and they won’t be allowed to appeal.
• Applicants will be subject to criminal record and background checks. One of the biggest source countries for Thailand is Myanmar, so a political record check or criminal check raises red flags.
• There will be no automatic screening of refugees who are subject to deportation. Refugees have to know about the system and have help navigating it.
• Access to public services – NSM guarantees access to healthcare and education for people granted protected person status, but will need to see how that’s implemented in reality.

Prima Sukmanop –

• NSM is not a national asylum system. The reasoning lies behind the legal mechanisms currently available in Thailand.
• NSM offers protection against refoulement, but it doesn’t fully recognize the right to seek asylum. The Immigration Act still exists alongside NSM. People interested in going through NSM would first have to be prosecuted under immigration law (perhaps done through an arrest), go through the court process and be penalized/fined, then transferred to immigration authorities and custody. At the point of deportation custody, then NSM would intervene.
• NSM only aims to screen urban refugees already charged with illegal entry or overstay.
• Camp refugees are managed by the Ministry of Interior and are already subject to their own specific system, therefore they are not eligible for NSM.
  • Limited mechanism
• NSM is not a durable solution because it doesn’t provide a pathway to livelihood or status, although it does provide education and healthcare.
• If applicants are given protected person status, they will be granted an identity card that will be valid for five years, but the question is what happens after those five years are up.
  Lack of resources – the interpretations will be to Thai. Since there are not as many people in Thailand in this context who speak Thai, there’s a possibility that there could be two different interpreters e.g., applicant’s language to Thai and English to Thai. This leaves more room for misunderstanding.

NSM event

Cooler weather:

It’s starting to feel like Thailand’s “winter,”  with temperatures of mid 70s in the mornings, then reaching the high 80s/90 during the day. I’ve been loving this cooler weather! Since I arrived in Thailand during the hottest time, 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit feels like a breath of fresh air to me.

Lumpini Park

monitor lizard at the park

and... the many cats of Sena Nikhom (my neighborhood), featuring Steven’s twin

It’s been business as usual the past few weeks. On October 31st, I celebrated Halloween by going to Jodd Fairs night market where they had Halloween decorations, food, face paint, and costumes. I was surprised that there were more Halloween events happening in the city than I was expecting. Even though it didn’t feel like Halloween weather-wise, it was still nice to get together with friends and celebrate. It was a day full of smiles and zero scares.

Halloween in Bangkok

The next week, we had the day off work on Friday, November 1st for wellness day. A few coworker friends and I went to a cafe where we read and enjoyed the backyard bbq they were cooking up. It was a beautiful space and appears to have been a family’s home before it was converted to a cafe. There’s an outdoor sitting area with flowers and fairy flights, plus an indoor dining area, central cafe with baked goods and nooks to sit in, plus a very quiet upstairs area with lots of natural light. The cafe holds events frequently, including their weekend bbqs, workshops, and their daily paint & plant sessions (paint pots and plant, 2 in 1). After that, my coworker friend and I jetted off on his bike to a kpop dance class across town. We learned the dance to B.O.M.B by TREASURE, but it was taught in Thai, so I did my best to follow along. After the class, my friend taught me to count from 1-10 in Thai and quizzed me on the way home, asking me about different numbers on the road signs. It’d be a good road trip game, and it made learning Thai feel more fun than your average class!

cafe all day

AAT updates:

We have two new VLAs (same position as me) at work on the RSD team, which will expand the team’s capacity. Although it will take time to train the new VLAs and get them up to speed, they have great experience with research and screening/interviewing clients. It’s also nice to have other VLAs on the team with me because I’ve been the only RSD volunteer for a few months since our summer intern and another VLA departed.

The upcoming weeks will be quite busy and challenging at work, especially as I’ll have a heavy caseload, many of which are new processes to me. I am in the midst of conducting country of origin research on the treatment of women in Somalia (particularly FGM), working on an appeal submission, completing my first full screenings, and also my first accompaniment. For the appeal submission, the steps include reading through the client’s file and testimony, scheduling another interview with the client, interviewing the client, and then starting the appeal submission from there. Possible reasons for appeal include: incorrect facts, problems with procedures or process at first instance, new information relevant to the refugee claim, other reasons, or if there’s any additional documents or evidence the asylum-seeker would like to submit in support of their case.

Also, although I’ve completed pre-screenings part 1 and 2, this week I will be conducting full screenings wherein I ask the clients detailed questions about why they left their country of origin. After that, I will write up my analysis to my supervisor, and he will make the final decision on whether or not to represent the client.

This week, I will also be accompanying a client to their first instance RSD interview with UNHCR. AAT provides accompaniment to clients who are from groups who are typically unfairly rejected from UNHCR or who present vulnerabilities. The legal advisor is not able to intervene during the interview; the legal advisor’s role is to transcribe the interview, which can take the entire day. This is to support the client and also presents the possibility that AAT can submit post-interview submission (PIS) for the client if there are any errors or anything that did not go well during the interview. Due to current UNHCR Thailand policy, I will be unable to type the interview. Therefore, I will need to handwrite the entire interview, then spend the next day converting it from my handwritten entries to text.

As we say at work when it gets hectic like this, susu! This is a Thai phrase, which means ‘fight! Don’t give up.’ This is a phrase of encouragement, which can be used in many different contexts, for example if you’re eating with friends and still have lots of leftover food to eat, or if you have lots of work to do. It’s similar to the Japanese phrase, ‘ganbatte’ ((がんばって), which means ‘do your best,’ or phrases in English like, ‘you got this! You can do this.’

I’ll keep you all updated on the new work developments and the accompaniment in my next post. Thanks for following along!

P.S. Monsoon season is over, so we’re heading into the dry and cool(er) months. I actually kind of miss the daily rain from before :/

more kitties! spirit house kitty

spot the hidden cat

pad see ew, my favorite

my sweet friend made balushai for me (a Bangladeshi dessert).. soo yummy

I can’t believe it’s already mid-October and that I’ve been in Bangkok for a little over four months now! It’s gone by fast and below are some reflections about my time in Bangkok so far:

I’m blessed to be surrounded by kind, supportive colleagues and friends who have made me feel at home here.

Magical Bangkok elements:

• cats everywhere!
• heavy rain during monsoon season leads to dreamy sunsets
• meeting interesting people from all walks of life
• very spiritual place

Things that are tough about Bangkok:

• streets weren’t designed for walking (and it’s too hot for walking to really be all that enjoyable here)
• pollution
• plastic waste
• heat
• the noise

Fall is my absolute favorite season, and I’ve really been missing the changing seasons/cooler weather, especially after hearing my friends back home talk about it. Even though Halloween isn’t really celebrated here (except by foreigners), I’m still trying to get into the Halloween spirit by hosting a sugar cookie decorating party with friends next week. 

Koh Tao:

Here’s one major thing that really helped me forget about my missing fall blues – 

Since it was a holiday on Monday, we got Monday off work, and I decided to head to Koh Tao to visit some friends who are staying there. I left early Saturday morning, taking the bus and then the ferry, which took around 9 hours. When I got to my Airbnb, which consists of huts/villas as well as individual rooms throughout the premise, there were two cats cuddling on the check in counter. For the first night in Koh Tao, we got dinner sitting right by the beach. The sunsets in Koh Tao are absolutely amazing. And, there’s cats and dogs everywhere on the island! When I got back to my Airbnb after dinner, there was an adorable orange cat sitting in front of my room door. 

The highlight of the trip was snorkeling, where we saw turtles and baby sharks. We went snorkeling at five points: Koh Nangyuan, Ao Muang, Ao Hin Wong, Shark Bay, and Ao Luek. Koh in Thai means ‘island,’ and Koh Tao is known as Turtle Island. I was so excited to see the wildlife, especially because I love sharks. I’ve been wanting to take a scuba diving course to get certified and am feeling even more inspired after this trip. A new friend I met on the island who is really into scuba says that she’s seen all kinds of underwater animals, like whale sharks and blacktip reef sharks. The water at Koh Tao is so beautiful and blue. Also, the air here felt better than in Bangkok. I’m continuously so grateful for the experiences I’m able to have here, like this weekend getaway. And, I’m lucky to be living in a place where a trip to the beach is just a bus ride and ferry away!

check-in kitty

MOCA:

The weekend before Koh Tao, I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), which contains works from traditional and contemporary Thai and international artists. I love abstract art, so my favorite floor was probably the third floor, which was all about the art of fantastic imagination from artists such as Sompop Budtarad and Chuang Mulpinit. MOCA has many great pieces, and it’s also a very calming place, not too busy or crowded, which really contributes to the experience. I enjoyed this museum more than when I went to Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) for this reason; there were so many people at BACC, and it was quite hectic.

Pictures of some of my favorite pieces below:

cultural significance of flowers in Thai society

I had a bit of a hair crisis over the weekend! I’ve been wanting to dye my hair pink again and a coworker recommended a salon here. However, my hair turned out more reddish brown, and I was hoping for a true pink. I thought the cut/color might grow on me, but the next day, I woke up and realized it’s really not the color I was envisioning. I decided to go back to the salon the next day for a color correction. I asked them to lighten the color, and even though it’s still not exactly what I was wanting, it does look more pink to me now. And, the good thing is that since it’s just hair, the color will fade over time. So, I’m on a new hair journey and trying to work with this hair for now. 

the new hair! still getting used to it – it’s an adjustment

A lot of my weekend was consumed by being at the hair salon, but other than that, I also spent our office wellness day reading with a coworker friend at a cute cafe here. The cafe is pretty close to my apartment, just two stops away, and it has a view of the iconic elephant building. I loved the minimalist decor, and it wasn’t very crowded, so we got a lot of reading done. Cafe culture is pretty big here, and the cafes are designed in a way where people could spend all day there.

Roof24

view of the elephant building

On Sunday, a friend and I went to Ari, which is a neighborhood home to a great selection of cafes and restaurants along its quiet tree-lined streets. We went to several niche shops, starting our day off with lunch at Ong Tong, which has won Michelin awards. My friend and I both got khao soi, which is a delicious and traditional Thai food; northern Thai curry noodles. The soup was so thick and creamy, something that curry lovers will definitely want to try. It was on the spicy side for me, but not my friend lol. I forgot to say ‘mai pet lui,’ no spicy. After this, we went to a few vintage shops, including Hide, which is a select shop where they collect different Thai designer brands. The clothes there were out of my price range, but still fun to look at and get a sense of unique/quirky Thai fashion. We also passed by Darq, a specialty chocolate bar, and decided to stop in. The owner is really passionate and dedicated to the chocolate bar business. He urged us to get Kamphaeng Phet and Vietnam, which are two versions of their iced chocolate drink. It was super rich and some of the best iced chocolate I’ve had here.

iced chocolate

Work updates:

The RSD team is working on piloting a new screening process, which is designed to increase efficiency and save time. Previously, clients would be screened by a legal advisor for us to learn more about their claim and see what sort of assistance we can provide the client. Those full screenings were quite lengthy and could take several hours at a time.

The new screening process consists of a pre-screening part 1 and part 2. In part 1, basic demographics are collected, as well as identifying any vulnerabilities the client might present. In part 2, this is for the legal advisor to understand why the client had to leave their country of origin and why they cannot go back. Then, if it is a case we might be able to assist with, we will schedule the client for a full screening which is to understand their claim in-depth, including dates, locations, etc. Although it’s still early on, it does seem like this new pre-screening process will save the RSD team time. For example, with one client that we spoke to, it became clear that the client’s issue was about a land claim matter, but it didn’t fall under the grounds of the refugee convention. Due to this, less time was spent overall than would’ve been spent on this one client in the previous method. Given the team’s limited resources and time constraints, this is very important.

another beautiful bkk sunset in my neighborhood

reading on my balcony

Steven being a loaf

night market near my neighborhood that I love to go to, Jodd Fairs

I’ve had a pretty calm last couple of weeks, which has been nice and much needed. I was feeling a bit burnt out from being so busy and not having much time to myself. Even though I love my social time, I am introverted, so I need time alone to recharge.

The day after I got back from South Korea, I went to the immigration office with a few coworkers to get my visa extension, which I will need to do every 3 months. I woke up early that day and arrived at the immigration office around 8am. However, I think next time we’ll arrive even earlier or go on an off-peak day (not a Monday or Friday) because the waiting time lasted all day. We actually saw an old coworker at immigration who is now working with another organization here in Bangkok. It was really great to see her, especially because she provided a lot of guidance when I first started at AAT. I shadowed a lot of her sessions and asked her questions about client interaction.

I spent last weekend settling back into a routine and getting caught up on some personal things / scheduling appointments. I’d been wanting to spend some time to myself reading, writing, walking, etc. I also got my first Thai massage here at a spa that a coworker recommended.

When I was walking the other day, I stopped by a spirit house by my apartment when a little kitten came up to me and started meowing at me nonstop. The kitten seemed hungry for food and affection, so I went back to my apartment and got some of Steven’s food to give the kitten. When I opened up the bag of food, at least four other cats showed up. I think I’m becoming a neighborhood cat lady now because I’ve been back to visit this kitten almost every night.

Work updates:

Unfortunately, AAT lost funding for our long-term legal solutions program. This internal policy change means that for the time being, we cannot provide any services on options to move to a third country, including resettlement. It’s definitely very difficult and disheartening to help people with the RSD process with UNHCR, but then to not be able to provide them with information about LTLS, especially because that is the end goal. The client staying in Thailand is not necessarily a viable pathway, since there is no legal framework through which refugees can be resettled here.

In the month of September, I conducted about four or so legal clinics about options for moving to a third country. Throughout August and September, I hosted many legal clinics in order to try and provide this information to as many clients as possible before the LTLS program ends. There are many pre and post steps for the LTLS clinics, including calling clients to invite them, updating the participant/attendance lists, and reimbursing clients for their internet fees after the clinics. This was a bit hectic at times because legal clinics would sometimes be scheduled last-minute, but we wanted to be able to answer any questions that clients had about LTLS while we still are able to do so.

The other day, there was a client who came in for a screening with a member of the RSD team. This screening is to determine to what extent we can assist the client and to assess her refugee claim. The client ended up bringing her four-year-old daughter to the appointment, so the team took turns watching the child. I used to babysit and nanny a lot in the US, and I do actually really miss being around kids, so I was really glad to help with this.

AAT babysitters xD

Grab bike otw to work

Weekend updates:

On Saturday, I went to September’s monthly refugee dinner, hosted by Click Aroi, which is one of several refugee-led community empowerment activities facilitated by the Community Engagement team at AAT. Click Aroi (‘aroi’ means delicious in Thai) enhances refugees’ skills in traditional cooking, provides training on business skills and entrepreneurship, and creates channels for them to tell their stories through food. Click Aroi currently collaborates with two local organizations, Na Projects and theCommons Thonglor. Besides hosting a monthly refugee dinner at theCommons Thonglor, Click Aroi also runs a food catering platform that allows for regular orders. The dinner was really amazing, and it was great to see up-close more of what the other teams at AAT do. It was also my first time trying Ethiopian food!

the menu – sambusas, chicken/beef stew, sweet bread, etc

Then, on Sunday, I went to a book swap. Since I haven’t found a free public library here and it’s expensive to keep buying new books, I’m so glad that my friend told me about this monthly book swap. It’s great to have this community of girls, as they share various literature events going on in the city.

mu kratha (Thai style bbq) with my friend

made it to the last day of this walking street fair!

My old coworker friend from NYC had a trip planned to Seoul, Korea and was kind enough to let me join her for a week! She lived in Korea before and speaks Korean, so she was really helpful in making the itinerary, showing me around, and navigating the city. She’s coming to Chiang Mai and Bangkok at the end of November, so I promised to return the favor then by showing her my favorite spots in Bangkok.

Some highlights broken down by day:

Day 1 – perfume making class; light show at Han River

Day 2 – Alpaca World and Nami Island

Day 3 – color consultation; shopping at Goto Mall

Day 4 – exploring Insadong

Day 5 – hanbok rental and photoshoot; exploring Hanok Village

Day 6 – Coex Mall; Seoul Forest Park; Dongdaemun Design Plaza; watching buskers in Hongdae

Day 7 – Sokcho beach

My friend took me to a bunch of different neighborhoods throughout Seoul, including Myeongdong, Hongdae, Apgujeong, Insadong (lots of cute/trendy cafes and shopping), Hanok Village, Sinchon, Namsan, etc.

Color consultations and color theory is pretty big in Korea, and has gained popularity outside of Korea as well. Before doing the consult, I had a feeling that I’d be a light spring. It turns out, my main palette is indeed light spring, and my sub palette is mute autumn. My worst palette is deep & dark winter (I don’t know if I’m ready to get rid of all my black clothes just yet :/). It was pretty fascinating how quickly they were able to decide my colors, by holding fabric swatches up to my face and flipping through them. At the end, they gave me a packet highlighting which makeup, outfits, hair colors, accessories, and nail colors suit me. Even though I still love my black and white neutrals, I may try to incorporate more light colors and pastels into my wardrobe, like pinks, blues, etc.

My friend and I also did all-day hanbok rental and photoshoot. The hanboks were really intricate, and we also got free admission to Gyeongbokgung Palace since we were wearing them. I loved seeing all the different hanbok colors and patterns that people were wearing. However, it was pretty hot to be totally covered up in hanboks, so we lasted a few hours and then decided to return them and walk around Hanok Village.

It was nice to take a few day trips and explore outside of Seoul as well. At Nami Island, I liked seeing the wild bunnies everywhere, which were actually really comfortable with people. They let us get so close to them! I also enjoyed the Gangchon rail bike; I’d never done it before, and the scenery and views were incredible.

The last day before my flight, we went to Sokcho beach, and this might’ve been my favorite day in Korea. I wish we could’ve had more time in Sokcho. We were only able to reserve the bus tickets in person since we don’t have Korean credit cards, so ended up reserving them last-minute. Luckily, we got the last two spots going to Sokcho in the morning and were able to depart later that night. Sokcho is such a charming beach town with great food. It was beautiful to be surrounded by the beach on one side and mountains on the other.

Korea has been on my bucket list for a while, and I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to go. It’s really amazing to be able to explore throughout Asia while I am here, especially because it’s much more affordable to do so while I’m already in Asia, as opposed to traveling there from the US.

Now, it’s back to work for me!

rail bike

Nami Island

getting my fortune

hanbok rental

near Namsan

Cafe Pokpo – waterfall cafe. Side note: I totally get cafe culture / cafe hopping now

beach!!

results from my color consult

pics of Steven from his pet sitter – thank you for taking such good care of him!

AAT/work updates:

AAT staff members went to a training provided by Bangkok Refugee Center (BRC) about initial psychosocial support to asylum seekers and refugees. The day was broken down into several sessions, including:

• initial psychological symptoms, warning signs and screening tools
• effective communication skills and counseling techniques
• practicing counseling skills and techniques
• initial psychosocial support when working with traumatized individuals
• self-care
• referral resources

Migrants and refugees face stressors which can take place at various stages of the migration process: (1) pre-migration; (2) migration travel and transit; (3) post-migration; and (4) integration and settlement. It was particularly useful to learn more about trauma-informed care for clients and also self-care for humanitarian workers. Professionals in the human rights field are particularly susceptible to vicarious (secondary) trauma, which is a form of trauma that’s experienced indirectly by hearing details or witnessing the aftermath of a traumatic experience by another person. Essentially, it’s a process of change resulting from empathetic engagement with trauma survivors. BRC taught us about the following types of self-care: social, physical, mental, practical, emotional, and spiritual.

While the training was helpful, I think it’s also important to remember that legal advisors are *NOT counselors, and their roles are different. While it’s necessary to know how to practice trauma-informed care, clients also need to be referred to the right counseling resources. The following are some of the ways that I practice trauma-informed care when working with AAT clients:

• being transparent with clients about the legal process, my role, others’ roles in the process, and what can happen
• explaining the nature of a meeting or interview and letting them know what I am doing
• checking in with clients and giving them the chance to express any concerns/questions
• verbally validating any feelings they express to me; the importance of active listening
• being careful with my wording in order to prevent re-traumatization
• being aware of the client’s body language

training provided by BRC

Throughout the month of August, I conducted around 6 legal clinics for Urdu, Somali, and Burmese-speaking communities. All provided information about long-term legal solutions: resettlement, family reunification, humanitarian visa, and available private sponsorship programs in Canada, Australia, and the US. The information sessions for Burmese clients also focused specifically on the status of Myanmar refugees in Thailand, updates and other information from UNHCR, and the information of service providers here in Thailand for medical assistance, financial support, etc.

Personal/life updates:

Even though work has been really busy, I’ve been having so much fun exploring Bangkok when I have the time. Over the past couple weeks, I’ve gone bike riding in Chatuchak Park, shopping at Chatuchak Market (on a cool night, phew), and went to the dragon temple (Wat Samphran).

Chatuchak weekend market

Wat Samphran is located in Amphoe Sam Phran in Nakhon Pathom Province. It is about an hour from Bangkok city center. Although there’s much to see in the area, the highlight is the pink building with a large dragon that envelops it. The structure is 80m in height in total, corresponding to the Buddha’s final age. The 17 floors signify heavenly Brahma’s realms that one reaches in the afterlife, based on monastic achievement and karma accumulation. The dragon that surrounds the building from bottom to the top symbolizes a human’s journey from suffering to happiness, symbolically circling the hell and the heavens.

It was actually pretty quick to climb up to the top of the building, maybe around 5 minutes or so. The view from the top was beautiful. Once we reached there, my friends and I each made a wish, then walked around the circular rooftop three times before touching the dragon’s beard and then making a donation. One of my friends was actually coming back to Wat Samphran to pay her respects because her previous wish had been granted – she got a visa to come to the US! I definitely consider myself a spiritual person, and I felt surrounded by lots of spiritual energy this day.

cafe near Wat Samphran

amazing friend and neighbor, Oriahnna

Wat Samphran

I was a bit sick for the past week or so, but am finally feeling better. I think my body just really needed to rest.

Also, I’m so excited because I’m headed to Korea next week! I will be there for about a week and will meet up with my ex-work wifey from NYC. I can’t wait to see her and explore Korea.

a typical Bangkok day haha – got drenched on the bike ride home from work. But thank you to the sweet Grab driver who lent me a rain jacket 🙂

One of the hard parts about working with a nonprofit or NGO:

It can be difficult because AAT only has so much capacity, therefore must explicitly define the scope of services provided. For example, when it comes to LTLS, AAT cannot find sponsors for clients, review emails to sponsors, and review or fill out application forms or translate documents. However, AAT is able to answer questions clients have about the process or application forms and give them advice on how to prepare for an interview for visa application.
Everyone at AAT is so passionate about the work, but in order to function most effectively, AAT has to screen and assist clients with the types of legal issues that are in our priorities. For instance, when talking to a client to see if we can help them with a reopening matter, we must first see if they meet the qualifications defined by the UNHCR for reopening. If the situation does not meet the requirements, then AAT would be unable to assist. This is hard because the client is still facing difficulties in their lives here in Bangkok or in their home countries, but AAT wouldn’t be able to provide the service requested. I faced this same issue when I was previously working with a nonprofit law firm in Nashville. Even though you want to help, it is not always possible to help each client with the exact service they are asking for. However, I’m sure clients feel at such a loss and so distressed when they are reaching out for help, but being told they cannot receive it. In this way, I try to emphasize to clients the reasoning why we are sometimes unable to proceed with their cases.

Also, there is so much bureaucracy involved with this type of work. The RSD or LTLS processes are lengthy and complicated. The systems in place are often not the most effective. Additionally, NGOs and nonprofits are notoriously underfunded. They are not able to run as smoothly as many large corporations because they lack the resources and manpower to do so. My colleague who recently returned to the US (miss you!) stated that she sees the refugee crisis as a symptom of a larger issue, and I couldn’t agree more.

My first on-call day(s):

Tuesdays at AAT are known as on-call days, during which we have scheduled appointments to speak to clients about issues such as reopening, following up with the UNHCR, etc. I’ve started handling all the calls myself on some of these days, and those are always long days. It’s a lot to fit into one day because preparation (including reading the clients’ file history) and follow-up can take around 30 minutes, while the actual call itself typically takes 30 minutes or sometimes even longer.

I’ve gotten much more comfortable with client calls and working with an interpreter. My supervisors have been great and always answer any questions I have that come up during client calls. When working with an interpreter, I have to keep reminding myself to speak in short sentences and not to use colloquialisms. Instead, it’s best to keep sentences short and simple.

Although the RSD team is hoping to accept more VLAs, we are currently quite backlogged and working with limited capacity. We have a goal to get rid of the backlog and conduct a certain number of screenings within the next month, therefore I am working my way up to being able to handle client screenings. These are lengthy and can take hours at a time.

Some snapshots and moments from the past couple weeks:

yummy Thai-style hot pot with neighbors

rainy BKK days

joined a pickleball group!

Recent highlight – my first time going to the beach in Thailand!

During an office wellness day, I went to Koh Larn with a few coworkers. This is an island off the coast of Pattaya. We woke up really early and caught the 6:30am bus so we could make the most of our day. The bus took around 2.5 hours, then we took a tuk-tuk to the ferry. From there, the boat ride to the island lasted around 30 minutes or so. The island was so breathtaking and beautiful, and it’s surrounded by mountains. We really didn’t waste a second of the day. We rented Thai motorbikes, with three colleagues driving and three riding on the back of the bikes. We drove all around the island and saw amazing views. We also booked a banana boat, but the driver didn’t manage to flip us over. To end the day, we went to a coffee shop overlooking the water. It was such a great day, and I can’t wait to explore more Thai islands!

It’s been an exciting past couple weeks exploring! I’ve had a few days off work due to public holidays and office wellness days, which are on the first Friday of every month. I think it’s really essential and beneficial to have wellness days, especially when doing humanitarian work.

The Artist’s House:

Recently, I went to the Artist’s House, otherwise known as Baan Silapin and Klong Bang Luang. The house is over 200 years old and sits right along the khlong (canal); it’s a place where people gather to enjoy drinks, food, and the community. It’s tucked away behind a few winding streets in Thonburi, Bangkok’s old capital.

There’s so much to see in the area surrounding the Artist’s House, including restaurants, shops with art and trinkets, a temple, etc. At the Artist’s House, there are portraits, paintings, and drawings decorating the main seating area. Wooden doors also open up to additional seating along the river. There’s several arts and crafts options you can choose from at the Artist’s House, like jewelry making, paint, and pottery. My friend and I decided to make bracelets, and it was so much fun! I haven’t made jewelry in so long. It was a really relaxing atmosphere. We went later in the day, but I could’ve easily spent all day there. It was a nice escape from the busyness and chaos of the center of Bangkok. It was also great to be surrounded by the water because it can be hard to find nature and greenery within the heart of Bangkok unless you go out of your way to find it. I definitely want to go back to the Artist’s House and bring any friends with me who come visit. I think it might be one of my new favorite spots in Bangkok.

There were so many cute art products to purchase, from jewelry to postcards to paintings to books. I finally bought my first elephant souvenir here! I found a tiny stuffed elephant with cats printed on it and knew it was the one. It’ll be a nice keepsake for me to have and remember my time in Bangkok by.

Wat Kai and Ayutthaya:

Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Ayutthaya, was built in 1350 as the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom. The city was attacked and burned to the ground by the Burmese army in 1767. When the capital of the restored kingdom moved and a new city was built at Bangkok, there was an effort to recreate the architectural form of Ayutthaya.

It was amazing to see what’s still intact of Ayutthaya and how it’s maintained, particularly with new plants and greenery growing on the towers.

After seeing Ayutthaya, we headed to Wat Kai, which was quite unexpected. Wat Kai is an ancient temple during the Ayutthaya Kingdom, which was also abandoned after the fall of Ayutthaya. In 1992, a group of monks founded a priest house there, and in 1997, the temple was named Wat Kai (chicken temple). There are many friendly wild monkeys at this temple, however it’s uncertain when they started to live here. Wat Kai itself is pretty gruesome, as it depicts a Buddhist version of hell. There are statues of people having their tongues removed, being stabbed with needles, etc. I’m still a bit unsure as to why the hell temple was built… perhaps as a warning not to perform immoral actions? There are five offenses in Buddhism which deliver the offender into naraka (hell): patricide, matricide, killing an arhat (saint), injuring the body of a buddha, and causing a division in the Buddhist community. Additionally, there are ten evil acts in Buddhism: three physical acts of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; the four verbal evils of lying, irresponsible speech, defamation, and duplicity; and the mental evils of greed, anger, and holding of mistaken views. This temple actually reminded me a lot of some images that I saw in an art exhibit at Asia Society Museum back in NYC called Comparative Hell: Arts of Asian Underworlds. This exhibit in particular explored ideas about judgment, punishment, and salvation after death. Exhibition artwork portrayed religious threats of fiery torture as a means to shape values and beliefs, instill virtuous behavior, and to encourage atonement for sins.

This was certainly an interesting and macabre temple to see, but I was especially excited to see the wild monkeys. I’d never seen monkeys out and about like this before, and it was pretty incredible. It was so entertaining to watch the monkeys, and there were even little baby monkeys tottering around.