Sooner or later I felt I needed a fixed address in Bangkok, even just for having an obvious reason to get back here, like to check my mail now and then.
Again a very humble yet decisive mission to take up, it would take quite some time and patience to get this thing going.
The post office at Na Pralan Road, conveniently next to Silpakorn's all day and all night door, was completely booked up with all available P.O. Boxes. I wasn't really sure about it, but, that's what I was told. Up to the next, larger post office, next to Democracy Monument, well made out on many maps. Closed for renovation, no sight of P.O. Boxes yet. With some help, I was told Banglamphu would be a good option, which looked pretty OK to me, since it would be close to the guest house area, my probable base of action on a forthcoming return.
I had to wade through a mass of backpackers filling up cardboard boxes with stuff to send home, and climbed the stairs to the P.O. Box, Poste Restante and International Call center. The friendly attendant looked up at me from his desk with one eye, while the other remained slumping down at a plate of rice and chicken which stood half-eaten next to piles of documents, files and stamps-racks. Unfortunately P.O. Boxes would not be available, and I would be better off going to the General Post Office.
Comes in my teacher, Sutee, Tormentor of Elephants. As a matter of fact, he had also been thinking of hiring a P.O. Box, since he found out that a air-ticket, sent to him from Philadelphia, had never arrived at his home address. The Na Pralan office was indeed booked up, with eventual vacancies coming up sometime next month, but Banglamphu would definitely have some vacancies.
So again I met the ever-friendly attendant, shaking his head, and saying that it was all an unfortunate misunderstanding, and that indeed it was possible to hire a P.O. Box, and that we just had to make out an application-form. The form consisted of some 4 pages, clamped together by worn-out sheets of carbon, and had to be accompanied by photocopies of my passport, and a genuine reason what for I wanted to hire a P.O. Box. I was only too eager to get my hands on that key. Alas! Our friend said they would send a letter to the address I had written in the application, that said 'fixed address in Thailand', and upon receiving this letter, I could return to get the rest of the application finished. Fortunately I had given Silpakorn's address, and yes, a neat 2 days later a registered letter arrived, telling me -all in Thai- that I could come to the Post Office and finish the operation.
For the third time I climbed the wonderful stairs of Banglamhu's post office to meet the ever-friendly attendant, and his still unfinished plate of rice and chicken. He of course needed to keep my letter, and the envelope as well, and then at last started filling out the receipt for rent and bond for the key of box 27, all in six-fold carbon copies!
Finally he gave me the precious key, and a piece of paper on which he scribbled:
Danny Devos
P.O. Box 27
Banglamphubon Post Office
Bangkok 10203
Thailand